The Last Tycoon. An Unfinished Novel. Together with The Great Gatsby and Selected Stories ["The Diamond as Big as the Ritz"] by FITZGERALD, F. Scott (1896-1940) - 1941

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1941. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine-. First Printing (with Scribner's seal and "A" on copyright page) of the author's final, unfinished novel, published in the year following his death. 8vo: xii,476pp. Publisher's navy blue V cloth, spine and upper cover stamped in gold, top edge stained red, fore-edge rough-cut; typographic dust jacket, printed in red and black and priced $2.75, with photo of the author by Eareckson on back panel. A superb example, square, tight, and probably unread; glue-darkened end sheets (as often), else Fine; crisp, clean jacket with very brief edge wear. Broccoli A19.1.a. Edited by Edmund Wilson, Fitzgerald's friend since their days together at Princeton and later sometimes literary mentor, first published ten months after Fitzgerald's death, at the age of 44, with a synopsis of the ending, a selection from Fitzgerald's working papers for the novel, the text of The Great Gatsby, and five previously published stories: "May Day," "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," "The Rich Boy," "Absolution," and "Crazy Sunday." Wilson wrote a foreword in which he affirmed that The Last Tycoon was "even in its imperfect state, Fitzgerald's most mature work" and "far and away the best novel we have had about Hollywood." His edition "played a key role in the posthumous revival of Fitzgerald's reputation." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).