I received a copy of Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda for review purposes through NetGalley. As always, this review reflects only my honest thoughts on the book.
Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda: The Love Letters of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald
Edited by Jackson R. Bryer and Cathy W. Barks
Publication Date: July 23, 2019
Scribner
“Pure and lovely…to read Zelda’s letters is to fall in love with her.” —The Washington Post
Edited by renowned Jackson R. Bryer and Cathy W. Barks, with a new introduction by Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s granddaughter, Eleanor Lanahan, this compilation of over three hundred letters tells the couple’s epic love story in their own words.
Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s devotion to each other endured for more than twenty-two years, through the highs and lows of his literary success and alcoholism, and her mental illness. In Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda, over 300 of their collected love letters show why theirs has long been heralded as one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century.
Edited by renowned Fitzgerald scholars Jackson R. Bryer and Cathy W. Barks, with a new introduction by Scott and Zelda’s granddaughter, Eleanor Lanahan, this is a welcome addition to the Fitzgerald literary canon.
Amazon* | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound
My Notes
I’d hoped to have a full review ready to post today, but this is truly a book I have to savour. Nevertheless, I wanted to bring together a feature before this edition is published!
First and foremost, some personal significance. I’ve been a fan of the Fitzgeralds for years–so much so that one of my current works in progress is a chapbook of poems all about Zelda (sort of like Boleyn)! When I first started the project, one of my dreams was to get my hands on a copy of Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda. At the very least, an erasure from her own words had to happen! At the time, the copies I found online cost far more than I could invest in the project and it had to be put on hold.
A few months ago, I took the plunge and joined NetGalley. I’ve really been loving reviewing books here on Pencils & Pages (and I’ve currently got reviews lined up through March 2020!) and as long as I pace myself with ebooks, I can manage a few without too many migraines.
Actually, I found out a new edition of Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda was coming out through NetGalley! I crossed my fingers, requested access, and sent to my Twitter friends for good vibes. Fortunately, I was successful!
Since then, I’ve been reading and loving this collection of letters. Eleanor Lanahan’s introduction was even better than I could have dreamed, and the letters I’ve gotten through thus far (largely Zelda’s) are absolutely dreamy.
I can’t wait to continue through this book, and will be back with a full review soon!
