Choices for 'the wise writer'

 

“Myidea is always to reach my generation. The wise writer writes for the youth ofhis own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of everafterward.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

Born in Minnesota on Sept. 24, 1896Fitzgerald is heralded as one of the greatest American writers with aremarkable output despite dying at age 44 from illnesses mostly attributed tostress and alcoholism.   Internationallyrenowned for books like The Great Gatsbyand Tender is the Night, Fitzgeraldalso wrote hundreds of short stories reflective of what’s been called “The JazzAge.”

 

Named for his distant cousin FrancisScott Key (author of “The Star Spangled Banner”), Fitzgerald attended Princetonbut dropped out to join the U.S. Army during World War I.  It was at Princeton that he both started hiswriting and met future wife Zelda, a major influence on his writing career,which took off right after the war.

 

While his writing star burnedbrightly, he said he found the process difficult. “All good writing,” he said,“is like swimming under water and holding your breath.”   He said sometimes he wished he couldstart over, leading to his famous statement: “There are no second acts inAmerican lives.”

 

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