Spires and Gargoyles: Early Writings, 1909–1919(The Cambridge Edition of the Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald)

F. Scott Fitzgerald had a busy and productive literary apprenticeship, writing in a great variety of genres. This volume contains his writings for the student magazine at his high schools and his Princeton writings for the Daily Princetonian, the Princeton Tiger, and the Nassau Literary Magazine. Of special note in this volume are the complete lyrics that Fitzgerald composed for three student musical comedies mounted by the Triangle Club at Princeton – Fie! Fie! Fi-Fi! (1914), The Evil Eye (1915), and Safety First! (1916). The volume includes a scholarly introduction, a record of variants and emendations, and numerous facsimiles and other illustrations. Explanatory notes identify the literary works, Broadway shows, movie queens, stage stars, politicians, historical figures, criminals, sports heroes, and popular songs referred to by Fitzgerald in these early writings.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; St. Paul Academy, 1909–1911: The mystery of the Raymond mortgage; Reade, substitute right half; A debt of honor; S.P.A. men in college athletics; The room with the green blinds; The Newman School, 1911–1913: 'Football'; Election night; A luckless Santa Claus; Pain and the scientist; The trail of the duke; A school dance; Princeton University, 1913–1917: Triangle Show lyrics; Fie! Fie! Fi-Fi!; The Evil Eye; Safety First!; Prose and verse; 'There was once …'; 'Shadow laurels'; May small talk; The ordeal; how they head the chapters; A cheer for Princeton; The conquest of America; To my unused Greek book; Our next issue; Jemina; The usual thing; The vampiest of the vampires; Little Minnie McCloskey; One from Penn's neck; A litany of slang; 'Triangle scenery by Bakst'; Futuristic impressions of the editorial boards; 'A glass of beer kills him'; 'Oui, le backfield …'; 'When you find …'; Things that never change! No. 3333; The old Frontiersman; The debutante; Penrod and Sam; 'Boy kills self …'; Things that never change. No. 3982; Precaution primarily; The spire and the gargoyle; Rain before dawn; David Blaize; 'McCaulay Mission …'; Popular parodies – No. 1; The diary of a sophomore; Undulations of an undergraduate; Tarquin of Cheapside; The Prince of Pests; 'These rifles …'; 'It is assumed …'; Ethel had her shot of brandy …; 'Yale's swimming team …'; Babes in the woods; Princeton – the last day; The Celt and the world; Sentiment – and the use of rouge; On a play twice seen; Verses in Peace and War; The invisible King; The cameo frame; The Pierian Springs and the Last Straw; The Staying Up All Night; Intercollegiate Petting-Cues; Our American Poets; Cedric the Stoker; City Dusk; My First Love; Marching Streets; The Pope at Confession; Record of variants; Explanatory notes; Illustrations; Appendix: Probable attributions.

About the Author :
James L. W. West III is Sparks Professor of English at Pennsylvania State University.

Review :
'As usual, West's introduction is excellent in both its precision and economy.' The F. Scott Fitzgerald Review