This Side of Paradise

By: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrated by: Brian D'eon

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s pseudo- autobiographical first novel. It describes life at Princeton among the glittering, bored, and disillusioned “lost generation” of post World War1 America. Published in 1920, when he was just 23, the novel was an overnight success and propelled Fitzgerald to instant stardom as spokesman of the Jazz Age.

Public Domain (P)2010 trout lake media

Good narration

the story is fine (it's no Great Gatsby), but thr narrator does a great job with his performance

Great work

Great work Fitzgerald’s work never grows old or tiresome.his work keeps you thinking .keeps the unanswered questions lingering in the air!great work great man .very good narration .very much enjoyed .

I just let it wash over me.

It's not a book I would normally read, but I just finished "Z", so I just had to see what it was all about. I didn't try to follow the story or look too deeply into any of it, I just let it wash over me and I found myself enjoying the experience. I would not have had the patients to actually read it, but having it read; and read so beautifully, was a truly pleasant experience. I think was the pros, it just flowed...

Over all it was a very nice experience. Can't wait to read Gatsby.

A Joy-Ride through Pompous Asseville

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, It was a wonderful listen. A story written by one pompous ass about other pompous asses. Not as good as The Great Gatsby but definitely up there.

What was one of the most memorable moments of This Side of Paradise?

It was a short book. I liked the whole journey. I will be buying more of F. Scott Fitzgerald's work and I will read this one again. What I like best is this man knows how to tell and great story with minimal words.

What about Brian D'eon’s performance did you like?

He was perfection. The accent and the attitude. He had it all.

If you could rename This Side of Paradise, what would you call it?

Leave the title. It is perfection. F Scott Fitzgerald picks great titles.

Any additional comments?

Read it. It is part American history most people don't experience first hand.

Clasics: Re-Visited

Any additional comments?

This is my second time reading F. Scott's first novel. I first picked it up as an 18 year old Freshman in college on the recommendation of a beautiful and smart young women I was seeing at the time. I related so much to Amory and felt like his life at Princeton so nearly reflected mine. However, wen I went back for the second read through, I found myself much more interested in Amory's love affairs and how they personally related to the women I had dated. Rosalind Connage is so perfectly written. I couldn't even believe it. Fitzgerald's lessons are timeless classics and should be highly recommended to anyone of any age, BUT this book is the PERFECT read for young men who feel like college isn't quite working out for them. I remember so distinctly feeling unfulfilled, uninterested, and unimpressed by school and asking myself "is this for me?" much like Amory. Seeing those questions played out through Amory's life gave me an incredible reassurance that I wasn't alone.

Interesting but long and dry

I enjoyed this Side of Paradise. It's strange story about a selfish and egotistical person kinda of learning who they are. I enjoyed most of the the time Emory spent at Princeton. It's the attitude and feel of the story that is interesting not really the content. The performance was great.

Slow at first, but so worth the read!

Brilliant and clever book, I love Fitzgerald's work and this book is no exception. The readers voice was hard to get used to at first, but I ended up really loving it.

Not Scott's best work

Some parts show brilliant character development, while other areas of his novel are just mediocre.
Scott shows his keen insights and knowledge of human emotions and academic absurdity.
The ending of this book was very abrupt, and left me curious why end it now.

Fitzgerald as a young man

Where does This Side of Paradise rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's not my favorite, but I enjoyed it. There were no

What other book might you compare This Side of Paradise to and why?

I would have to think of books that are tightly focused on one character's development. It reminds me a little bit of

Have you listened to any of Brian D'eon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

Who was the most memorable character of This Side of Paradise and why?

Naturally, it is the main character Amory Blaine who remains in sharp focus throughout the novel. Every relationship he has develops his character and tests his character. At times it is painful to find his romantic notions dashed again....but he keeps testing himself, all the while trying out new ideas as if they were new styles in clothing.

Any additional comments?

I must admit, I

pre-WWI joy

I think that I enjoyed this book more because of its period than anything. This is not the sort of book I would hand to just anyone and expect that they would like it. Of course this is no great gatsby and is, from what I understand, Fitzgerald's first novel written at age 23. I enjoyed it because I wanted to enjoy it, but don't expect to be wowed as with his true classics. This is about a privledged kid growing up and going through college. Reminds me at times almost like Catcher in the Rye, although Catcher came many decades later. Anyway, there are four or five versions of this on audible and this version has the best narrator. I was very pleased with the production. 5 stars.