The Lees of Happiness

By Francis Scott Fitzgerald

This short story was first published in the "Chicago Tribune," and first published in book form in Tales of the Jazz Age in 1922.
"Of this story I can say that it came to me in an irresistible form, crying to be written. It will be accused perhaps of being a mere piece of sentimentality, but, as I saw it, it was a great deal more. If, therefore, it lacks the ring of sincerity, or even, of tragedy, the fault rests not with the theme but with my handling of it.
It appeared in the "Chicago Tribune," and later obtained, I believe, the quadruple gold laurel leaf or some such encomium from one of the anthologists who at present swarm among us. The gentleman I refer to runs as a rule to stark melodramas with a volcano or the ghost of John Paul Jones in the role of Nemesis, melodramas carefully disguised by early paragraphs in Jamesian manner which hint dark and subtle complexities to follow. On this order:
"The case of Shaw McPhee, curiously enough, had no hearing on the almost incredible attitude of Martin Sulo. This is parenthetical and, to at least three observers, whose names for the present I must conceal, it seems improbable, etc., etc., etc.," until the poor rat of fiction is at last forced out into the open and the melodrama begins."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Booklassic
• Release date: Jun 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9789635239962

Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Fitzgerald (Saint Paul, 1896-Hollywood, 1940) es considerado uno de los más importantes escritores estadounidenses del siglo XX y el portavoz de la generación perdida. El gran Gatsby se publicó por primera vez en 1925 y fue inmediatamente celebrada como una obra maestra por autores como T. S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein o Edith Wharton.

Book preview

978-963-523-996-2

1.

If you should look through the files of old magazines for the first years of the present century you would find, sandwiched in between the stories of Richard Harding Davis and Frank Norris and others long since dead, the work of one Jeffrey Curtain: a novel or two, and perhaps three or four dozen short stories. You could, if you were interested, follow them along until, say, 1908, when they suddenly disappeared.

When you had read them all you would have been quite sure that here were no masterpieces—here were passably amusing stories, a bit out of date now, but doubtless the sort that would then have whiled away a dreary half hour in a dental office. The man who did them was of good intelligence, talented, glib, probably young. In the samples of his work you found there would have been nothing to stir you to more than a faint interest in the whims of life—no deep interior laughs, no sense of futility or hint of tragedy.

After reading them you would yawn and put the number back in the files, and perhaps, if you were in some library reading-room, you would decide that by way of variety you would look at a newspaper of the period and see whether the Japs had taken Port Arthur. But if by any chance the newspaper you had chosen was the right one and had crackled open at the theatrical page, your eyes would have been arrested and held, and for at least a minute you would have forgotten Port Arthur as quickly as you forgot Château Thierry. For you would, by this fortunate chance, be looking at the portrait of an exquisite woman.

Those were tie days of Florodora and of sextets, of pinched-in waists and blown-out sleeves, of almost bustles and absolute ballet skirts, but here, without doubt, disguised as she might be by the unaccustomed stiffness and old fashion of her costume, was a butterfly of butterflies. Here was the gayety of the period—the soft wine of eyes, the songs that flurried hearts, the toasts and tie bouquets, the dances and the dinners. Here was a Venus of the hansom, cab, the Gibson girl in her glorious prime. Here was…

… here was you. Find by looking at

Reviews for The Lees of Happiness

[phillipthopersberger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book made me look forward to meeting REL one day and just chatting. A great man who made a horrible choice.

[buffalogr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of General Lee's last five years, when he shaped Washington College. The author makes you really want to like they guy.by presenting personal perspectives and stories about him. His strategic impact is clouded by the tactical stories of love and affection for the family, the college and others. For instance, he liked little children. Who could hate a guy who likes little children? But, he smothered his own children so that most of the seven did not get married and carry on their lives, except to serve him. The book also ignores his impact on the nation as a whole; yes it discussed Southern adoration and Lee's "influence" on the nation, but ignored the impact of his support of slavery and the southern way of living. I'd like to see an alternate history book written where Lee makes a different decision in 1861 and becomes a Union general???

[alexthehunn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am not a Civil War historian. I read this prior to taking up history as a grad student and have not had time since to revisit it - so my remarks are by memory. Flood presents a very likable, respectable Lee. One is drawn to him. We want to like him and cheer for his small victories after the war. But Flood presents a lop-sided, hagiographic view of his subject. Indeed, there was much to respect in Lee. It would have seemed the more so if Flood had addressed some of the very real issues that are inescapable in dealing with Lee, first and foremost, his role in perpetuating slavery. Also, I recall not liking the lack of documentation. It seemed there were no notes or sources at all (I could be wrong in this.)

[jwalton_52 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

General Lee spent the last five years of his life shaping Washington College into a tremendous University.