Library Reads: F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise

I think if this is the route of F. Scott Fitzgerald I will become less of a fan over time, though I will say this is his debut novel, so it's possible to cut some slack. Even with The Great Gatsby though everything seem to over thought out, and This Side of Paradise is even more so done that way. This leaves room for some great scenes and dialogue but otherwise nothing flows very naturally in the book. Also, Amory is very self involved and not too likable of a guy.

Summary: This Side of Paradise is a sort of semi-autobiographical account of Fitzgerald's own life conveyed through Amory Blaine. He starts out life as a prep school boy making friends that would last a very long time there. When growing old of the routine there though he sets off to make his own sort of way with girls and money. Amory is always hopeful he will pen a novel that will gain him fame, but many distractions come his way. He falls for the charming Rosalind, and gets swept up in a war before he can establish his own.

151 of 1001 Movies: Broken Blossoms (1919)

I've got to say I enjoyed D.W Griffith's Broken Blossoms a lot more than The Birth of a Nation. It's still very difficult to get over the white guy who is playing a Chinese man in his movie. He doesn't use people of the actual race he is conveying in the movies. As you'll remember with The Birth of a Nation he portrays the Klu Klux Klan restoring order to the south after slaves take over in the movie. While this view was popular in the time that movie was made, it definitely wouldn't have went over as a hit in box offices now. It's a difficult movie to watch, and while Broken Blossoms thankfully doesn't go the bad route it did, it still was awkward.

Summary:  In this silent movie, Cheng Huan moves to London from China to spread the message of Buddha. Once there though he finds a very brutal city though that leaves him a bit down trodden. Lucy also resides in the city and herself being beat down among the harsh brutality of it. Her father, an alcoholic prize winning boxer, beats her and treats her as a servant. When Lucy meets Cheng though they both find hope, but the fact that he is Chinese and she is white though could cause a stir if anyone was to find out.