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October 2008: F Scot Fitzgerald: Tender Is The Night
- Thread starter Libra
- Start date
Robert
Active Member
There doesn't seem to be much interest, Libra. I think the BOTM is dying.
Libra
Active Member
It is a shame if it is.:sad:
Fantasy Moon
kickbox
Oh, I've been wanting to read this book. *did not know it was BOTM* Now I must make a trip to the library! 
Libra
Active Member
Oh, I've been wanting to read this book. *did not know it was BOTM* Now I must make a trip to the library!
Yes,you must.(I will be here waiting if no one else shows up)
silverseason
New Member
I promise to show up, but not for a couple more days. I have to finish something else first.
Fantasy Moon
kickbox
Ok, now I have it!Yes,you must.(I will be here waiting if no one else shows up)
I'll try to start reading it as soon as possible.
Enya
New Member
I read it a few years ago but I have it in my bookcase and I can leaf through it to remember, I'd like us to discuss it, I like Fitzgerald's books in general and I know this one is the closest to his biography and to Keats.
Do you know there are rumours that Zelda, his wife, wrote or at least had an important contribution to most of Fitzgerald's novels? And I think she wrote a novel herself, Save me the Waltz.
Do you know there are rumours that Zelda, his wife, wrote or at least had an important contribution to most of Fitzgerald's novels? And I think she wrote a novel herself, Save me the Waltz.
Libra
Active Member
Fantasy Moon
kickbox
I'm reading chapter one at the moment, and I must say that I like Fitzgerald's writing style. I'm sure that I could get used to this.
oskylad
Member
I'm reading chapter one at the moment, and I must say that I like Fitzgerald's writing style. I'm sure that I could get used to this.
I was annoyed by Fitzgerald's habit of introducing characters long before they were given names. I didn't really get into the story until I got past the first few chapters and could connect the characters with names.
silverseason
New Member
With many of our books of the month, I had read them long ago. With Tender Is the Night, I can form opinions uncorrupted by memories of earlier views. The only other Fitzgerald I have read is The Great Gatsby and a few of the short stories.
Ok. The novel is structured in three "books." I have just finished Book 1, about one-third of my edition. Since I don't know yet how it all turns out, I'll play fair by offering some initial impressions.
1. Point of view changes, yet we never really get inside any of the characters. After a long opening whereby we see the world through Rosemary's eyes, we switch from time to time to Nicole or to Dick or even, occasionally someone less important. Although FSF says someone "wonders" or someone "thinks" or someone "feels", I still feel quite outside the character with little idea what is really going on inside.
2. No background. We don't know where these people come from, although occasionaly hints are dropped. I sneaked a look at Book 2, so some background information may be coming there.
3. I don't understand Rosemary at all. She is a juvenile movie actress. Sheltered? Maybe, but not for sure. Very involved with her mother and her mother's opinions. Not an ounce of rebellion visible.
4. Certain scenes are quite wonderful: the visit to the trenches, the duel (compare it with the duel in Fathers and Sons), the railroad station. Other scenes, like the Riviera, seem quite static, almost boring in fact.
5. Everyone is acting. Rosemary decides early on that she is in love with Dick. As soon as she can get him alone she says "Take me!" perhaps an attempt to reenact a bad movie. At a later point, Dick says that they are both acting. Maybe that's the point. I don't know.
6. One could read this book as a celebration of the carefree, expatriot life, but sometimes FSF betrays a more critical view, perhaps anticipatory of The Great Gatsby. In chapter xii, there is a long, rather bitter passage about the wealthy Nicole:
"Nicole was the product of much ingenuity and toil. For her sake trains began their run at Chicago and traversed the round belly of the continent to California; chicle factories fumed paste in vats and drew mouthwash out of copper hogsheads; girsl canned tomatoes quickly in August or work in rudely at the Five-and-Tens on Christmas Eve...." and there is more.
7. Sometimes I have no idea what FSF talking about and suspect he doesn't either, even it if sounds rather grand: "She did not know yet that splendor is something in the heart; at the moment when she realized that and melted into the passion of the universe he could take her without question or regret."
Ok. The novel is structured in three "books." I have just finished Book 1, about one-third of my edition. Since I don't know yet how it all turns out, I'll play fair by offering some initial impressions.
1. Point of view changes, yet we never really get inside any of the characters. After a long opening whereby we see the world through Rosemary's eyes, we switch from time to time to Nicole or to Dick or even, occasionally someone less important. Although FSF says someone "wonders" or someone "thinks" or someone "feels", I still feel quite outside the character with little idea what is really going on inside.
2. No background. We don't know where these people come from, although occasionaly hints are dropped. I sneaked a look at Book 2, so some background information may be coming there.
3. I don't understand Rosemary at all. She is a juvenile movie actress. Sheltered? Maybe, but not for sure. Very involved with her mother and her mother's opinions. Not an ounce of rebellion visible.
4. Certain scenes are quite wonderful: the visit to the trenches, the duel (compare it with the duel in Fathers and Sons), the railroad station. Other scenes, like the Riviera, seem quite static, almost boring in fact.
5. Everyone is acting. Rosemary decides early on that she is in love with Dick. As soon as she can get him alone she says "Take me!" perhaps an attempt to reenact a bad movie. At a later point, Dick says that they are both acting. Maybe that's the point. I don't know.
6. One could read this book as a celebration of the carefree, expatriot life, but sometimes FSF betrays a more critical view, perhaps anticipatory of The Great Gatsby. In chapter xii, there is a long, rather bitter passage about the wealthy Nicole:
"Nicole was the product of much ingenuity and toil. For her sake trains began their run at Chicago and traversed the round belly of the continent to California; chicle factories fumed paste in vats and drew mouthwash out of copper hogsheads; girsl canned tomatoes quickly in August or work in rudely at the Five-and-Tens on Christmas Eve...." and there is more.
7. Sometimes I have no idea what FSF talking about and suspect he doesn't either, even it if sounds rather grand: "She did not know yet that splendor is something in the heart; at the moment when she realized that and melted into the passion of the universe he could take her without question or regret."
bookwormtx
New Member
I am generally not a big fan of books set during this time period, but this one is an exception. I hope more discussion will pick up on this book
Libra
Active Member
I am sure it will,I just started book 2.
silverseason
New Member
In Book 2 of Tender is the Night Fitzgerald goes back and picks up the pieces missing in Book 1. Book 1 gives us slice of the life of Rosemary and the Divers on the Riviera and in Paris. Hints are dropped. Book 2 begins at the beginning with Dick Diver and his first meeting with Nicole, then relates their story in more or less chronological order. The chronology is confusing at one point when it slides on beyond the episodes of Book 1 to carry the story forward several years.
The conflation of medicine and psychiatry and psychology are confusing. The story of the origins of Nicole’s troubles is unconvincing. Diver’s understanding of himself (physician, heal thyself!) is shallow.
I think FSF does action better than he does meditation. The scene in Paris where he dumps the body is the hall is alive, much of the reflection seems contrived.
Please! Somebody else read and comment on the contents of this book.
The conflation of medicine and psychiatry and psychology are confusing. The story of the origins of Nicole’s troubles is unconvincing. Diver’s understanding of himself (physician, heal thyself!) is shallow.
I think FSF does action better than he does meditation. The scene in Paris where he dumps the body is the hall is alive, much of the reflection seems contrived.
Please! Somebody else read and comment on the contents of this book.
Libra
Active Member
Silverseason you are not alone in your thinking.I found the first book very confusing in the sense,he goes from one person to the other,to Nicole,the bathroom scene,then to Abe and his drinking,Rosemary,in love,Dick trying to control himself but seems he can't. I am having a hard time with it,I hope Book 2 starts placing things together.