The Lost Summer: A Personal Memoir of F. Scott Fitzgerald

by Tony Buttita

The author reminisces about his summer-long friendship with a Fritzgerald weakened by alcohol, financial, physical, and emotional problems, and an inability to write

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1987

Reviews

[Joseph Carro · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald, despite his shortcomings as a person, it was fascinating to see an outsider's perspective of the man behind Gatsby. Tony Buttitta recalls the summer he spent with Fitzgerald from notes he would write during that time so he'd remember everything, and in my opinion we get a clearer picture of "the man" Fitzgerald not swaddled in 1920's nostalgia. He was depressed, suffered from alcoholism, and especially from an inferiority complex. As a result, we see Fitzgerald as less myth and more human, which I think makes him more intriguing. 1920's and 1930's Fitzgerald are two completely different beings, and despite some controversy about the book possibly not being authentic, I believe there is enough detail in there that it reads authentically.

Aside from the main story, the book is a treasure trove of novels and other books that Fitzgerald and people of the time enjoyed if you're into that sort of history like I am. Throughout the memoir, Buttitta lists several books that he or Fitzgerald or other people discussed and why. Some of them I've never read and now want to read.

Overall a very interesting memoir, as I said. If you like (or hate) Fitzgerald, or if you're interested in the 1930's, then this is a niche book for you. It may be too niche for some folks, though. Buttitta lets Fitzgerald overshadow him in the text, but there's enough there to latch on to.

[Pollypollack · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to keep your illusions of greatness of character concerning FSF , think twice about reading this. But if you just want to round out your knowledge about him this is a unique view from a good source. I also read "Against the Current" by his young secretary who worked for him before he died, and found that interesting as well. I think he is
worth studying, as he was so brilliant yet so flawed.

[Xackery Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony was a wonderful soul and an amazing storyteller. He became a friend of my mother after her read her book. Amazing story of his brief and close friendship with Fitzgerald in Asheville.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. However, I was troubled when I came to the last few pages. I knew Fitzgerald led a destructive life, but (possible spoiler alert!) when I learned about his thoughts on race with just a few pages to go I was troubled. In The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan gives a speech to Nick Carraway about the dangers of mixing races and the superiority of the white race. I had thought that Fitzgerald wrote that to poke fun at Tom, to show how rich, out of touch, and old fashioned he was. To find out that perhaps Fitzgerald felt the same way did not sit well with me. The author of this personal memoir tries to explain it away by writing that Zelda being from the Deep South gave him these thoughts, but that didn't really leave me feeling any better.
If you like Fitzgerald, or if you like his writing, read this book. It's a short and fast read.

[Hugo Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant account of post-fame, fortune and glory F. Scott Fitzgerald. Very well written. It's well worth a lot more than the 50p I bought it for in Queens Park Library, back in the Summer of 2009. Fully recommend, especially to all FSF aficionados.

[Tycho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book, I didn't expect myself to become so repulsed by Fitzgerald. But alas, I have come to hate the man the more I read about him.

[Ivaiah Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is the book was hands down the best part. However, I by the end I was dragging myself through . The book got so repetitive and I really disliked Fitzgerald as a person.