F. Scott Fitzgerald makes anti-bellum Baltimore his setting for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," a fantastical tale with some Poe-like overtones about a baby born at age seventy who then lives life in reverse, his hair turning "in the dozen years of his life from white to iron-gray, the network of wrinkles on his face becoming less pronounced." What ramifications that creates for Benjamin's relationship with his father first and then later with his wife and his own son makes for some fantastical situations.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is read by Scott Brick. This collection also includes "The Lost Decade," read by Paul Michael Garcia; "Three Hours between Planes," read by Jeff Cummings; "The Bridal Party," read by Grover Gardner; and "Babylon Revisited," read by Ray Porter.
The title story in this collection is Fitzgerald's comic masterpiece, in which a baby is born at age 70 and proceeds through his life growing younger. Scott Brick narrates this marvelous story with enthusiasm, using a variety of subtle voices for the different characters. His reading highlights the astonishing aspects of this situation, as well as the underlying humor of the tale. In "Babylon Revisited," Ray Porter's understated reading expresses the nostalgia and regret of Charlie Wales, who returns to Paris after the onset of the Depression and reflects on the way he lived and flaunted his wealth in his halcyon days. Three other stories, "The Lost Decade," "Three Hours Between Planes," and "The Bridal Party," round out this sample of Fitzgerald's short fiction. K.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Frances Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and educated at Princeton, where he was a leader in theatrical and literary activities. He began writing his first novel, This Side of Paradise, while serving in the army. Its publication in 1920 established him as the spokesman for the Jazz Age. His major novels include The Beautiful and Damned (1922), The Great Gatsby (1925), and Tender Is the Night (1934).
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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
