F. Scott Fitzgerald: Trimalchio
An Early Version of 'The Great Gatsby'
Published on 25. April 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-0-521-89047-2 (ISBN)
Description
This first edition ever published of Trimalchio, an early and complete version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby now appears in paperback. Fitzgerald wrote the novel as Trimalchio and submitted it to Maxwell Perkins, his editor at Scribner's, who had the novel set in type and the galleys sent to Fitzgerald in France. Fitzgerald then virtually rewrote the novel in galleys, producing the book we know as The Great Gatsby. This ur-version, Trimalchio, has never been published and is markedly different from The Great Gatsby: two chapters were completely rewritten for the published novel, and the rest of the book was heavily revised. Characterization is different, the narrative voice of Nick Carraway is altered and, most importantly, the revelation of Jay Gatsby's past is handled in a wholly different way.
Reviews / Votes
"The Cambridge edition of Trimalchio is for scholars and Fitzgerald fanatics...Trimalchio has shown me a new way to love Gatsby. I'm compelled into a vast aesthetic contemplation: I dream of The Great Gatsby as it might have been, greater still-" Adam Begley, New York Observer "...the principle reason to read Trimalchio is to observe a masterpiece taking form through the process of revision. Even those not easily caught up in textual detective stories may take an interest in puzzling out the effect of the changes..." Scott Donaldson, Star Tribune "West provides a meticulous and comprehensive critical apparatus...this fine edition will be of significant interest to Fitzgerald scholars and students." Choice "West provides a meticulous and comprehensive critical apparatus...this fine edition will be of significant interest to Fitzgerald scholars and students." Choice "...I enjoyed every second of Trimalchio...had it been published as the legitimate text it would probably still be considered a masterpiece." Christopher Fischbach, Rain Taxi "Treat yourself to a copy...This new version is an earlier draft of Fitzgerald's novel, and it seems even better than the one finally published." Press Democrat "Fitzgerald enthusiasts are advised to acquire a copy immediately." The Times "Raw and edgy, Fitzgerald's prose practically dances across the page. For all of its subtle, flawed deviations from the finished work, the book possesses a charm that Fitzgerald never realized so completely again." Missouri ReviewMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
5 Halftones, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
311 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-89047-2 (9780521890472)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
F. Scott Fitzgerald | James L. W. West, III
F. Scott Fitzgerald: Trimalchio
An Early Version of 'The Great Gatsby'
Book
04/2000
Cambridge University Press
€64.38
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Previous edition
F. Scott Fitzgerald | James L. W. West, III
F. Scott Fitzgerald: Trimalchio
An Early Version of 'The Great Gatsby'
Book
04/2000
Cambridge University Press
€64.38
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
James L. W. West is Distinguished Professor of English at Pennsylvania State University, where he is a Fellow in the Institute for the Arts and Humanistic Studies. His most recent book is William Styron, A Life (1998).
Content
Chronology of composition and publication; Introduction: 1. History of the text; 2. Editorial principles; Trimalchio; Record of variants; Explanatory notes; Illustrations; Appendix 1. Perkins' letters of criticism; Appendix 2. Note on Trimalchio; Appendix 3. Note on eyeskip.