On September 24, 1896, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born. He was an American writer and a prominent figure of the “Lost Generation“ in literature. Fitzgerald gained the most recognition for his novel “The Great Gatsby,“ published in 1925, as well as his series of novels and stories about the American Jazz Age in the 1920s.

1. Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, into a wealthy Catholic Irish family.

2. He was named after his second cousin three times removed, Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.“

3. During his time in the army, Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre, who came from a wealthy and respected family (she was the daughter of an Alabama state judge) in Montgomery. She was considered a beauty and one of the most desirable brides in the state. Zelda became the central figure in Fitzgerald’s biography and literary works. She was often referred to as the “brilliant prototype“ of his novel heroines. It was thanks to Zelda that Fitzgerald became a writer.

4. Scott and Zelda lived a lavish and extravagant lifestyle. They indulged in a vibrant and wealthy life consisting of parties, receptions, and trips to European resorts. The couple constantly engaged in eccentric behaviors that caught the attention of the American high society. They would take taxi rides on top of New York City’s roofs, swim in fountains, and even appear naked at performances. Despite all this, their life was also filled with constant scandals (often due to jealousy) and excessive alcohol consumption by both.

5. Zelda suffered a severe mental breakdown in 1930, and she struggled with schizophrenia for the rest of her life.

6. Fitzgerald incorporated aspects of his personal life into his works and even drew information from his wife’s diary, replacing the names with fictional ones.

7. Despite high expectations and extensive preparation, “Gatsby“ initially failed. It sold only 21,000 copies, which was two and a half times less than the initial print runs of his first two books! For Fitzgerald, who lived like a Hollywood star, it was a devastating blow. The book did not bring the desired income, and in the 1930s, after the start of the Great Depression, it was forgotten. Ironically, “The Great Gatsby“ began gaining recognition the year after Fitzgerald’s death.

8. The mansion of Gatsby had a real-life inspiration – “Beacon Towers,“ built in 1917 for Ava Belmont, formerly Ava Vanderbilt. She was one of the most famous and colorful American women – a multimillionaire and a suffragette leader. The mansion was a pure Gothic fantasy with elements of Spanish castles and stylizations of medieval manuscripts. The building was demolished in 1945.

9. Francis Scott Fitzgerald died in 1940 from a heart attack, in poverty and obscurity. He was only 44 years old.

10. In 1950, Ernest Hemingway wrote the autobiographical book “A Moveable Feast“, many pages of which are dedicated to Fitzgerald.