Publisher's Synopsis
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This Side of Paradise chronicles the life of Amory Blaine from his childhood to his twenties. Born as the son of a rich and sophisticated woman, Beatrice, Amory travels the country with his mother until he attends the fictional St. Regis Preparatory School in New England. He is handsome, quite intelligent although lazy in his schoolwork, and wins admission to Princeton. Although initially concerned with being successful on campus, after failing a class he indulges in idleness; he prefers to learn by reading and talking with friends than through his classes.
Towards the end of his college career, America enters World War I and Amory dutifully enlists, relinquishing his degree. During her time abroad, Beatrice passes away. Upon his return to the United States, Amory meets the young debutante Rosalind Connage, the sister of his college friend Alec. The two fall deeply in love, but due to her family's bad investments, Amory is short on money and Rosalind does not want to marry in poverty. Despite Amory's best efforts to make money at an advertising agency, Rosalind breaks her engagement to marry a richer man, devastating Amory. She embarks on a three-week binge, which finally ends with the advent of Prohibition.
Amory's search for self-knowledge begins to unfold. He has a brief summer romance with the wild Eleanor. Soon after, Alec is caught with a girl in his hotel room and Amory takes the blame. Amory later discovers that his last close bond, his mother's dear friend and father figure, Monsignor Darcy, has passed away. Also, family finances have left him almost penniless. He decides to walk to Princeton and is picked up on the way by the rich father of a friend who died in the war. Amory lays out his new socialist principles and then continues walking to Princeton. He arrives late at night, pining for Rosalind. Amory extends his hands to the sky and says: "I know myself, but that's all ..."