What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last of the Novelists: F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Last Tycoon
Re-creating the author’s intention from the manuscripts, this study shows that Fitzgerald regarded none of his material as final but, rather, as material toward a novel quite possibly about the American Dream—a respectful study of the American business hero.
Mr. Bruccoli’s transcription and analyses of the manuscripts and notes for the unfinished novel serve two related purposes: they enable us to gauge the state of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work-in-progress at the time of his death and thereby to reassess this work properly.
Examination of Fitzgerald’s drafts reveal that he regarded none of this material as finished. There are no final drafts—only latest working drafts. After Chapter One there are no chapters, and even this is marked for rewrite. And Fitzgerald’s undated last outline provides only topics or ideas for the thirteen unwritten episodes.
The Last Tycoon has always been read as a Hollywood novel—a novel about the movies. It is far from certain that the title was final, but it is clear that Fitzgerald conceived Monroe Stahr as a “tycoon.” Fitzgerald’s tentative title “The Love of the Last Tycoon: A Western” is instructive: it connects Stahr with all the other poor boys who went West to seek their fortunes.
“I am the last of the novelists for a long time now,” Fitzgerald wrote in a note for The Last Tycoon. His statement does not refer to technique or to form, Mr. Bruccoli claims; it can be understood only in terms of theme and character. Stahr exemplifies Fitzgerald’s belief in the American Dream—decency, honor, courage, responsibility, and the possibilities of the American life—and Fitzgerald regarded himself as the last of the American novelists writing on this great theme.
Mr. Bruccoli’s transcription and analyses of the manuscripts and notes for the unfinished novel serve two related purposes: they enable us to gauge the state of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work-in-progress at the time of his death and thereby to reassess this work properly.
Examination of Fitzgerald’s drafts reveal that he regarded none of this material as finished. There are no final drafts—only latest working drafts. After Chapter One there are no chapters, and even this is marked for rewrite. And Fitzgerald’s undated last outline provides only topics or ideas for the thirteen unwritten episodes.
The Last Tycoon has always been read as a Hollywood novel—a novel about the movies. It is far from certain that the title was final, but it is clear that Fitzgerald conceived Monroe Stahr as a “tycoon.” Fitzgerald’s tentative title “The Love of the Last Tycoon: A Western” is instructive: it connects Stahr with all the other poor boys who went West to seek their fortunes.
“I am the last of the novelists for a long time now,” Fitzgerald wrote in a note for The Last Tycoon. His statement does not refer to technique or to form, Mr. Bruccoli claims; it can be understood only in terms of theme and character. Stahr exemplifies Fitzgerald’s belief in the American Dream—decency, honor, courage, responsibility, and the possibilities of the American life—and Fitzgerald regarded himself as the last of the American novelists writing on this great theme.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Matthew J. Bruccoli
331 books39 followersMatthew Joseph Bruccoli was an American professor of English at the University of South Carolina. He was the preeminent expert on F. Scott Fitzgerald. He also wrote about writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe and John O'Hara, and was editor of the 'Dictionary of Literary Biography'.
Bruccoli's interest in Fitzgerald began in 1947 when he heard a radio broadcast of Fitzgerald's short story 'The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. That week he tracked down a copy of 'The Great Gatsby', "and I have been reading it ever since," he told interviewers. Bruccoli graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1949, and studied at Cornell University where one of his professors was Vladimir Nabokov and at Yale University where he was a founder member of the fledgling Manuscript Society, graduating in 1953. He was awarded a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Virginia in 1960. Bruccoli, who also taught at the University of Virginia and the Ohio State University, spent nearly four decades teaching at the University of South Carolina. He lived in Columbia, South Carolina, where, according to his New York Times obituary, he "cut a dash on campus, instantly recognizable by his vintage red Mercedes convertible, Brooks Brothers suits, Groucho mustache and bristling crew cut that dated to his Yale days. His untamed Bronx accent also set him apart" (Grimes).
Over the course of his career, he authored over 50 books on F. Scott Fitzgerald and other literary figures. His 1981 biography of Fitzgerald, Some 'Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald', is considered the standard Fitzgerald biography. He has edited many of Fitzgerald's works, from 'This Side of Paradise' to Fitzgerald's unfinished final novel, 'The Love of the Last Tycoon'. Bruccoli has also edited Scott's wife Zelda Fitzgerald's only novel 'Save Me the Waltz'.
While studying Fitzgerald, Bruccoli and his wife Arlyn began to collect all manner of Fitzgerald memorabilia. Bruccoli owned the artist's copy of Celestial Eyes, the cover art by Francis Cugat which appeared on the first edition, and most modern editions, of The Great Gatsby. In 1969, Bruccoli befriended F. Scott and Zelda's daughter Frances "Scottie" Fitzgerald. In 1976, Bruccoli and the Fitzgeralds' daughter Scottie (as Scottie Fitzgerald Smith) published The Romantic Egoists, from the scrapbooks that F. Scott and Zelda had maintained throughout their lives of photographs and book reviews. Later in life Bruccoli and his wife donated their collection to the Thomas Cooper Library at USC. The collection is valued at nearly $2 million.
Bruccoli was general editor of the 'Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography', published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. As part of this series, he produced 'F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Descriptive Bibliography' and, with Richard Layman, 'Ring W. Lardner: A Descriptive Bibliography' (1976). A working draft of the Lardner book was prepared in the summer of 1973 by Bruccoli.
Along with Richard Layman, a Dashiell Hammett scholar and former graduate assistant, and businessman C. E. Frazer Clark, Jr., Bruccoli launched the 'Dictionary of Literary Biography'. The 400-volume reference work contains biographies of more than 12,000 literary figures from antiquity to modern times.
Bruccoli continued working at the University of South Carolina until being diagnosed with a brain tumor, and died June 4, 2008.
Bruccoli's interest in Fitzgerald began in 1947 when he heard a radio broadcast of Fitzgerald's short story 'The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. That week he tracked down a copy of 'The Great Gatsby', "and I have been reading it ever since," he told interviewers. Bruccoli graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1949, and studied at Cornell University where one of his professors was Vladimir Nabokov and at Yale University where he was a founder member of the fledgling Manuscript Society, graduating in 1953. He was awarded a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Virginia in 1960. Bruccoli, who also taught at the University of Virginia and the Ohio State University, spent nearly four decades teaching at the University of South Carolina. He lived in Columbia, South Carolina, where, according to his New York Times obituary, he "cut a dash on campus, instantly recognizable by his vintage red Mercedes convertible, Brooks Brothers suits, Groucho mustache and bristling crew cut that dated to his Yale days. His untamed Bronx accent also set him apart" (Grimes).
Over the course of his career, he authored over 50 books on F. Scott Fitzgerald and other literary figures. His 1981 biography of Fitzgerald, Some 'Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald', is considered the standard Fitzgerald biography. He has edited many of Fitzgerald's works, from 'This Side of Paradise' to Fitzgerald's unfinished final novel, 'The Love of the Last Tycoon'. Bruccoli has also edited Scott's wife Zelda Fitzgerald's only novel 'Save Me the Waltz'.
While studying Fitzgerald, Bruccoli and his wife Arlyn began to collect all manner of Fitzgerald memorabilia. Bruccoli owned the artist's copy of Celestial Eyes, the cover art by Francis Cugat which appeared on the first edition, and most modern editions, of The Great Gatsby. In 1969, Bruccoli befriended F. Scott and Zelda's daughter Frances "Scottie" Fitzgerald. In 1976, Bruccoli and the Fitzgeralds' daughter Scottie (as Scottie Fitzgerald Smith) published The Romantic Egoists, from the scrapbooks that F. Scott and Zelda had maintained throughout their lives of photographs and book reviews. Later in life Bruccoli and his wife donated their collection to the Thomas Cooper Library at USC. The collection is valued at nearly $2 million.
Bruccoli was general editor of the 'Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography', published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. As part of this series, he produced 'F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Descriptive Bibliography' and, with Richard Layman, 'Ring W. Lardner: A Descriptive Bibliography' (1976). A working draft of the Lardner book was prepared in the summer of 1973 by Bruccoli.
Along with Richard Layman, a Dashiell Hammett scholar and former graduate assistant, and businessman C. E. Frazer Clark, Jr., Bruccoli launched the 'Dictionary of Literary Biography'. The 400-volume reference work contains biographies of more than 12,000 literary figures from antiquity to modern times.
Bruccoli continued working at the University of South Carolina until being diagnosed with a brain tumor, and died June 4, 2008.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 6, 2021
After reading "The Last Tycoon" I found a library discard (in perfect shape) of this and ordered it immediately because I knew Matthew Bruccoli single-handedly created a renewed interest and appreciation of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's a short read and an interesting one, with revisions, letters to Max Perkins and other peculiar facts about the unfinished novel, which I loved. Good read, indeed.
Displaying 1 of 1 review