Property from the Jean Hart Kislak Collection

Fitzgerald, F. Scott

This Side of Paradise. New York: Scribner's, 1931

8vo. Publisher's green cloth; spine gilt a little 𓆉dulled, short closed split to c🔯loth at head of spine.

Presentation copy from dark days, inscribed "For Bobby Ballantyne This record of things as they were when your father &a🐼mp; I were your age F Scott Fitzgerald Tryon, 1937."

Bobby was the son of Fitzgerald's classmate Howard Ballantyne, mentioned in the novel on page 47 as "Laඣwrenceville celebrity vice-president." Fitzgerald has annotated this reference in ✱the margin "named Howard Ballantyne—only it was President."

Fitzgerald's time in North Carolina was during a particularly low period of debt and drinking. His work wasn't selling, the glow from his early success with the present work and earlier novels had faded—he retreated to the mountains to so♉ber up, economize and help his tuberculosis. Perhaps signing to young Ballantyne was a brief respite from his struggles. Shortly he would depart for Hollywood.

The origin of the pressed rose between page 47 and the preceding is unknown, butꦉ let's say it's from Scott💖.

REFERENCE:

Bruccoli A13.1.a

PROVENANCE:

Christie's New York, 22 May 2001, lot 232