The Basil, Josephine, and Gwen Stories

An authoritative edition of these stories from 1928–36, with a critical introduction, full textual apparatus and explanatory notes.

F. Scott Fitzgerald (Author), James L. W. West, III (Edited by)

9781009308861, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 1 December 2022

399 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2.3 cm, 0.553 kg

This volume brings together three series of short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald - the Basil Duke Lee stories of 1928–29, the Josephine Perry stories of 1930–31, and the Gwen Bowers stories of 1936. The texts published here are based on surviving typescripts that preserve Fitzgerald's final revisions for their first publication in the Saturday Evening Post. Collations have revealed cuts and revisions by the Post editors aimed at removing profanity and blasphemy, sexual innuendo, real names of people and places, and references to racial prejudice. These passages have been restored to the Cambridge texts. This volume includes a scholarly introduction, a record of variants, facsimiles and other illustrations, and an appendix that presents early endings for the stories 'The Captured Shadow' and 'Basil and Cleopatra'. Full historical notes identify popular songs, sports heroes, literary works, Broadway shows, and sources for the stories.

Introduction
The Basil Stories: That kind of party
The scandal detectives
A night at the fair
The freshest boy
He thinks he's wonderful
The captured shadow
The perfect life
Forging ahead
Basil and Cleopatra
The Josephine Stories: First blood
A nice quiet place
A woman with a past
A snobbish story
Emotional bankruptcy
The Gwen Stories: Too cute for words
Inside the house
Record of variants
Explanatory notes
Illustrations
Appendix 1: Original endings, 'The Captured Shadow' and 'Basil and Cleopatra'
Appendix 2: Publication and earnings.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB], Literature: history & criticism [DS]