For students, having an at-home library is about more than convenience. It’s about creating a personal space that inspires learning and creativity. Whether you’re tackling essays or simply unwinding with a good book, your library becomes a reliable companion. And if you’re juggling tight deadlines or tough assignments, sometimes having extra support—like these top dissertation writing services—can make all the difference. Let me share how I built my personal library and the lessons I learned along the way, so you can start building your own.

Why Every Student Should Build a Personal Library

When I first decided to build my library, I thought it would just be a nice-to-have project. But over time, it became clear that a personal library is a game-changer, especially for students. Having books within arm’s reach means you’re always prepared, whether for a last-minute paper or an unexpected moment of inspiration.

For me, my at-home library also became a reflection of who I was and who I wanted to be. Each book had a story, not just within its pages but in how it ended up on my shelf. Some were gifts, others were thrift store finds, and a few were impulse buys that turned out to be treasures.

A library for students isn’t just about having books—it’s about creating a foundation for lifelong learning. It’s a space that grows with you, adapting to your interests and needs.

How to Start Your Personal Library

If you’re wondering how to start a library, don’t overthink it. I made the mistake of waiting until I had the “perfect” plan. The truth is, you just need to start. Here’s how I did it:

1. Define Your Goals

Before you buy a single book, think about what you want from your library. For me, the goal was clear: I needed a mix of academic resources and books that inspired me. I wanted a library for student life that would help me through tough assignments and provide an escape when I needed a break.

2. Start Small

You don’t need a massive collection to make a library. I started with just five books, organizing them on a repurposed shelf. Over time, I added more as I figured out what I needed.

3. Choose Your Space

When building a home library, the location matters. I picked a quiet corner in my room with good lighting and a cozy chair. It didn’t need to be fancy—it just needed to feel like mine.

How to Build a Library That Reflects You

The key to building a personal library is making it uniquely yours. For me, that meant mixing practicality with personality.

Organize Your Books

At first, my collection was a chaotic mess. Then I realized how much easier life is when you organize by category. I separated textbooks, fiction, and self-help books into their own sections. It made my at-home library both functional and visually appealing.

Add Personal Touches

One of the things I love about personal libraries is how they reflect their owner. I added small plants, photos, and quirky bookends to make my space feel warm and inviting.

Must-Have Books for a Home Library

When I started collecting books, I realized that a personal library isn’t just about quantity. It’s about having the right books. Here are the categories I found essential:

Academic Essentials

For any student, having the right academic books is crucial. I stocked my library with textbooks for my courses, a good dictionary, and a writing style guide. These are definitely must-have books for home library collections.

Skill-Building Books

Books like Atomic Habits and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People were game-changers for me. They helped me develop better study habits and time management skills.

Fun and Inspirational Reads

Every library needs a little joy. For me, that meant novels, poetry collections, and biographies of people I admired. These books added balance to my library for student life, giving me a break from heavy coursework.

Books for Your Field

If you’re studying a specific subject, add books that dive deeper into your area of interest. For example, I added research studies and biographies relevant to my major.

How to Maintain and Grow Your Library

Once you’ve figured out how to make a library, the next step is keeping it organized and growing it over time.

Use Personal Library Software

This was a game-changer for me. Personal library software like Libib helped me keep track of what I owned and what I wanted to add. It’s especially useful when your collection starts to grow.

Take Care of Your Books

Simple habits like keeping your books away from direct sunlight and using proper bookmarks can make a big difference. Your personal library is an investment, so treat it with care.

Keep Adding New Books

One of the joys of building a personal library is discovering new books to add. I make it a habit to buy one or two new books every month. It keeps my collection fresh and exciting.

Building a Home Library That Lasts

For me, building a home library was about more than just collecting books—it was about creating a space that felt like home. My library isn’t perfect, and it’s far from complete, but it’s mine. It’s where I study, dream, and grow.

If you’re thinking about how to build a home library, start small and let it evolve. Focus on what matters to you, whether that’s academic success, personal growth, or a mix of both. Your library will grow with you, becoming a reflection of your journey.

Conclusion: Start Building Your Library Today

Building your personal library is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a student. It’s not just about having books—it’s about creating a space that supports your learning, inspires your creativity, and helps you grow.

If you’ve been putting off starting your at-home library, let this be your sign to take the first step. Whether it’s a single shelf or an entire room, your personal library will quickly become one of your favorite spaces. And who knows? It might even inspire someone else to start their own.

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Personal Experience Benefits

Relying on personal experience when writing about gambling can be both helpful and detrimental. Personal anecdotes can provide valuable insight into the emotions and thought processes associated with gambling, and can help to create a more personal connection with readers. However, personal experience can also provide a biased perspective, and may not provide a sufficiently broad scope to create a comprehensive analysis. Thus, it is recommended to use personal experience as a supplement to researched sources, rather than a primary source of information.

Communicating with the support

In the world of online gambling there are many little things that you can find out in detail by talking to the support team. Whether it’s a question about account verification or a concern about a specific game, the support team can provide essential information to enhance the overall experience. With the help of online gambling platforms, players can communicate with support teams quickly and effectively. This direct communication allows players to receive specific and detailed information that can help them navigate any issue they may encounter. The support teams are knowledgeable and professional, ready to assist with any questions or concerns.

Gambling Literature

When it comes to finding literature on gambling, there are many options available. Academic journals, books, and articles from reputable sources can provide a wealth of information on the topic, including the history of gambling, gambling psychology, the social and economic impact of gambling, and more. One disadvantage of using literature is that there can be a lot of conflicting information, and determining which sources are trustworthy can be challenging. However, by reviewing multiple sources, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the topic, and provide a well-rounded analysis.

One book that can serve as a useful resource for writing about gambling is “The Gambling Encyclopedia” by Peter Arnold. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of gambling, the psychology of gambling, and the social and economic impact of gambling, among other topics. Additionally, the book includes a glossary of gambling terms, making it easier to understand the language used in the industry.

Another useful resource is the Journal of Gambling Studies, which is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal that provides in-depth research and analysis of gambling-related topics. The journal covers topics such as addiction, social impact studies, and gambling regulation, among others. By using sources such as this, you can provide a well-informed and thoroughly researched analysis of the topic.

For those working in the gambling industry or researching related topics, it can be difficult to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments. That’s where topical gambling forums come in. These online communities are a great source of information, as members discuss everything from industry news to specific games and strategies. 

By participating in these forums, you can connect with other professionals in your field and learn from their experiences and insights. Additionally, you’ll gain a better understanding of current market trends and consumer behavior, which can be invaluable when conducting research or developing new business strategies. Overall, using topical gambling forums as a resource can help you stay knowledgeable and informed in the constantly evolving world of gambling.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when writing about gambling, it is essential to consider the advantages and disadvantages of relying on personal experience versus researching literature. Personal experience can provide valuable insight, but it is important to supplement it with researched sources to provide a well-rounded analysis. Literature, such as academic journals and books, can provide a wealth of information on the topic, and by reviewing multiple sources, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. By utilizing both personal experience and researched sources, you can create a well-informed and comprehensive analysis of the topic of gambling.

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An Analysis of the Historical Significance and Narrative Impact of an Important Literary Institution

Sheridan House is a major literary institution with a long history spanning from the late 18th century to the present day. It has been a platform for the development of many authors and their works, both historical and contemporary. The complex has hosted some of the most powerful voices in literature and has been the subject of many works of fiction, including the acclaimed novel by Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native. Through its many years of operation and its ever evolving cultural impact, Sheridan House has left an undeniable and powerful imprint in the literary world. This analysis will explore the significance of the institution, the historical background of its origins, the narrative themes and messages that are associated with the institution, and the relevance of its legacy to the literary world today.

Exploring the Relevance of Literature in the 21st Century

Sheridan House is a chain of bookstores across the United States specializing in contemporary and classic literature. With a wide selection of books and magazines, as well as a variety of events and clubs, Sheridan House is an ideal destination for those looking to discuss and explore the latest works of literature.

However, for a long time, literature has been seen as a relic of the past; something romantic or nostalgic but largely irrelevant to our modern world. Recently, however, there has been a growing conversation around the relevance of literature in the 21st century. It has become an increasingly compelling topic as people from all walks of life explore how literature can help to make sense of our world and ourselves.

At Sheridan House, we invite conversations about this topic, and about the latest releases and classic works that have shaped and continue to shape our lives. From reading and discussion groups to events with authors and poets, we bring people together to talk about problems, possibilities, and stories through the lens of literature. We believe that literature can create meaningful dialogue and inspire us to think differently and critically about our lives.

Exploring the Impact of Sheridan House on Important Literary Discussions: An Analysis of Literature and Sheridan House

Sheridan House is an important literary organisation that has a long history of advocating for literature, in particular, the works of great authors, who have shaped and influenced literary culture. Through examining how Sheridan House has been instrumental in bringing to the forefront key literary topics and topics of discussion, such as the works of Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare and many others, this paper seeks to analyse the lasting impact that Sheridan House has had on the ongoing discourse surrounding literature. Furthermore, it will explore how Sheridan House has been able to bring to the forefront certain key themes, such as the importance of ownership, the power of language and the emphasis of the individual creator. In so doing, this paper will seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of both the impact of Sheridan House on literary discourse and the importance of literature in contemporary society.

Sheridan House is one of the most respected names in the world of literature publishing. Known for their high-quality content, their works have received awards, accolades, and critical acclaim for over four decades. From authors such as Stephen King and J.K. Rowling to classic authors such as Jane Austen and Mark Twain, Sheridan House has had a major impact on the literary world. Through their engaging books, periodicals, and educational materials, Sheridan House is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to expand their understanding and appreciation of literature. By exploring the world of literature with Sheridan House, readers can gain a deeper insight into the writing, ideas, and emotions found within beloved works of literature.

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If you need the inspiration to achieve more, you should definitely try Shark Tales. Barbara Corcoran is an author, a speaker, and a successful woman with a thriving business. Barbara Corcoran started with a small business, and now she is one of the strongest brokers in the USA. The book is a real-world story copied from the life of Barbara. She failed at 22 jobs and decided to stop searching for a regular job, borrowed $1,000 from a boyfriend, and started her own business. Starting small, Barbara developed her business into a $6 billion company. Her story is so vivid and motivational that you will also believe that you can achieve more. 

2. Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich by Lois P. Frankel

Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich is about the behavioral patterns that girls inherit and get while they are still kids. These habits prevent them from taking the needed actions to get financially independent when they become adults. Women don’t dare follow their dreams to achieve. Many outdated ideas that are still alive in the heads of women in fact don’t let them get the wealth and appreciation that they can get. This collection of tips will inspire any woman to take control of her money and life, as well as teach all of us to make intelligent money choices in your everyday life. Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich is written by Dr. Lois P. Frankel, President of Corporate Coaching International. Dr. Lois P. Frankel is an internationally recognized expert in the field of leadership development for women. You will definitely find a couple of ideas to take from this book. 

3. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Every woman who is in search of inspiration should take a closer look at Big Magic. Elizabeth Gilbert goes deep into the magic of creativity, exploring how it works. Her tips and insights will encourage you to wake up your own curiosity and creativity. In the end, the creative part exists in every person. With enough motivation and courage, you will discover the talents you don’t even know you possess. Elizabeth Gilbert, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love shares her advice with everyone who is eager to find inspiration. 

4. The Woman Code by Sophia A. Nelson

The Woman Code by Sophia Nelson encourages women to adhere to a meaningful life code so as to live a full and strong life. Simply put, the author suggests a set of rules for living, managing life stress, and being open to cooperation with other women. The insights you get from the book help any woman strike a balance between work, family, and friendship. The author says that women should have a purpose in their lives and shows how to combine it with everyday life. Sophia A. Nelson is an honored author and journalist, a corporate leadership trainer, and a speaker. 

5. Money: A Love Story by Kate Northrup

If you are not sure about your money and financial state, the book Money: A Love Story will help you. The author writes her own story of getting out of debt and becoming rich. She also shares the stories of her clients to help the reader understand how to take your relationship with money to a new level. Kate Northrup is an entrepreneur, speaker and writer who assisted thousands of people in their search for financial freedom. 

6. Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin comes back to a tricky discussion around the changes in human beings. The book says that habits are key to our transformation. Though building a habit takes time, a useful habit leads us to a better life, productivity, and happiness. The book shows the reader how to discover the habits that you have in your life and change them the way you want. Do you want to start sleeping more? Do you want to eat healthy food? Do you want to exercise every day and get slim? You will find your way to it with this book. Gretchen Rubin is the author of several bestsellers, in which she shares her experience, insights, tips, and stories of people who know how to make their lives happy.

7. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

If you feel down and need a short reminder how great you are, this book is a good way to get some inspiration. Jen Sincero, a famous success coach, created a How-to guide to becoming the master of your life. He shared funny stories, practical tips, and exercises that can turn your life into something joyful and interesting.

We hope that these 7 books will help you get inspired and motivated. Don’t forget to check our next post about the most romantic male heroes in literature. 

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We read romantic books and fall in love with characters because books help us understand what kind of person we want to find in real life. If you just open any good dating website and start checking every man seeking a woman, you can find your ideal person when you know who you are looking for. 

To help you figure out your emotions, this blog post describes the best romantic male characters in literature. We included different types of men in this list, heroes, villains, and anti-heroes. Whatever type of man you are seeking, consider these literary examples and enjoy!

1. Edward Cullen from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Edward Cullen is the perfect man. He’s handsome, he’s rich, and he has a sense of humor. He can read minds, so you never have to worry about what he might be thinking. Furthermore, he loves unconditionally and protects fiercely. And best of all, this man seeking a woman is very loyal, he’ll live and love forever.

Edward Cullen is one of the most famous vampires of the series and often the target for much criticism due to his lack of involvement with Bella before she became a vampire. Edward was born on June 20, 1901, as Edward Anthony Mason to Elizabeth and Edward Mason Sr. His mother died giving birth to him, which caused him to be resentful of her throughout his life. At some point, he met Carlisle Cullen, who would later become his adoptive father, and they found out that they both shared an interest in medicine. 

2. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr. Darcy is a romantic man seeking a woman in Jane Austen’s novel. He had just inherited his family estate, Kimberley, when he fell in love with Elizabeth Bennet. Unfortunately for him, she did not return his feelings at first. However, after many attempts of her family to interference in the relationship and her own prejudices against him, they eventually come to realize that they are perfect for each other.

Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice is a very romantic character in literature. He is well-educated, has good manners, and behaves like a perfect gentleman at all times. Mr. Darcy’s behavior towards Elizabeth Bennet changes throughout the novel as he falls in love with her. His pride and prejudice are conquered by his love for her and he proposes to her at the end of the story.

3. Edward Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Edward Rochester is another romantic male character in literature. He’s the dark, brooding man who will sweep you off your feet with his mysterious charm. This is not just a man seeking a woman. 

He is a complex character that has been hurt by love in the past and doesn’t want to go through it again. But he’s also very passionate about life, which makes him irresistible.

Mr. Rochester is a wealthy landowner who falls in love with Jane Eyre, his ward and governess. His dark past includes having been married before to Bertha Mason, an insane woman locked away in the attic of his home, Thorn field Hall. Rochester tried to keep her existence a secret because he had been rushed into marrying Bertha without knowing that she was insane. Though Rochester gave up on searching for a woman he could love, he found Jane and fell in love with her. 

4. Captain Wentworth from Persuasion by Jane Austen

One of the most romantic men of all time, Captain Wentworth is a man who has been deeply hurt by love and is looking for someone to share his life with. He’s not afraid to go after what he wants and he knows exactly what he needs in order to be happy. So, this is definitely not an ordinary man seeking a woman, he is in search of the love of his life.

Captain Wentworth has a tender, almost passionate love for Anne Elliot. In this story, Captain Wentworth struggles with his feelings for Anne because she reminds him so much of his first love, as well as the pain that followed it. Yet, despite these difficulties, he still manages to get through them and marry Anne in the end. 

5. Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Heathcliff is a man who has been through so much and has such a difficult past. He’s not perfect at all, but he truly loves Catherine and will do anything for her. Heathcliff is also not a man seeking a woman, he pursues a particular person and is ready to take any action to achieve her. He’s so passionate about his love for her that it consumes him and everything he does. His love is intense, obsessive, and absolute. It doesn’t matter how many times she rejects him or how much she hurts him, he just can’t let go of the idea that they’re meant to be together. Heathcliff is one of those classic romantic male characters that we’ve all fallen in love with at some point or another.

So, what are the best romantic male characters in literature? 

This question has been debated for centuries. The answer will vary from person to person and from generation to generation. In this article, we took a look at some of the most popular ones and hope that you enjoyed our list. And what is your favorite male character?

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1. Nikolai Gogol

It is this writer who is in the first row, because only a baby does not know about the tragic fate of the second part of Dead Souls. The great Russian writer all his life was surrounded by a halo of mystery and devilish mysticism, but Gogol himself was hardly ready to give fire to his creation. But only until one fanatical priest convinced Gogol of the sinfulness of his work, which leads its creator to a complete loss of propriety. In a fit of inexplicable passion, Nikolai Gogol destroyed the rough record that contained the second part of Dead Souls. It can hardly be explained other than by demonic conduction. Unfortunately, two weeks after this event, the writer himself was also gone.

2. Gerard Manley Hopkins

The English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins was another creative individual whose religious views contrasted sharply with his literary experience. It all began when he stopped writing poetry for Lent, but later, as a Jesuit priest, in a fit of religious confusion, he not only renounced poetry but also burned a large number of his earlier works. Unfortunately, the reader never saw most of his writings, but as Umberto Eco said, a great poet should burn his early poems rather than try to publish them.

3. James Joyce

While many authors are subject to religious experiences that push them to destroy their works, there are a number of writers who are willing to take such a step solely because of their aesthetic convictions. James Joyce, for example, became so disillusioned with his autobiographical novel, The Hero Stephen, after 20 rejections that the only sensible use for him was to put it on fire. But at that moment, as if at the command of an invisible supreme power, the writer’s wife, Nora, appeared on the scene and, risking her health, extracted her husband’s manuscript from the flames. Later this draft was substantially revised, and the final version of the novel was called Portrait of the Artist in Youth.

4. Robert Lewis Stevenson

If James Joyce’s wife helped him save his work in the literal sense, Robert Lewis Stevenson’s wife helped her husband in the spiritual sense. In the early stages of creating a new work, Stevenson often enlisted the help of his wife, and she, in turn, believed that the draft of the short story The Strange Story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written in the “wrong” style, that is, took an overly literal approach to an allegorical story in form and content.

Being sick and bedridden, Stevenson was horrified when his own hand threw the draft directly into the fire. He called his wife and asked her to bring him the ashes, all that survived the story. But while in Joyce’s case his idea partially survived on paper, Stevenson saved it completely in his head. Thanks in part to the stimulating effects of his medication, he recovered the manuscript in less than a week.

5. Otessa Moshfegh

We’ve already discussed the religious and aesthetic reasons for destroying written works, but have many writers burned their works for survival? There is at least one example. Otessa Moshfegh, having temporarily abandoned her life in Manhattan for solitude in an old cabin in Maine, was left without wood for her stove one cold night. To keep from dying of cold, she had to burn some of her work. Perhaps this is just an exaggeration, and it is unlikely the writer would have said goodbye to life, but it is certainly a rare case of an author burning manuscripts out of a sense of physical necessity. Fortunately, Otessa had enough time and inspiration to recreate the draft from which A Dark and Winding Road was born.

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Bruccoli goes further and claims that Chaplin was not in the hotel that day, moreover, the man was not even in Paris in 1925, and, among other things, he never met Ernest Hemingway. In fact, Bruccoli provides dozens of stories from the private lives of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, which are debunked as myths as the researcher delves deeper into their relationship. Like a sailor grasping a long-awaited land with both hands, Bruccoli tries with all his might to stick to a credible version of their history together. Perhaps this is why his work consists mainly of the writers’ correspondence, as its authenticity is not questioned.

Among other things, Fitzgerald and Hemingway were real legends, but each in his own way. And legends are always strangely influenced by facts, just as astrophysicists tell us that light begins to curve near a black hole. We, who are unable to verify this with our own eyes, have no choice but to believe what we hear. Despite the obvious differences in the figures of each of the writers, it is impossible to deny a note of striking similarity in their fates. The first thing that comes to mind is their mutual and blind pursuit of self-destruction, though each of them raced to meet infinity at different speeds. “The Feast That’s Always With You” is especially popular for its chapters on Scott Fitzgerald, but like everything else they had in common, these passages can hardly be taken at face value. That said, it would be wrong to accuse their content of a complete lack of truthful facts.

First Encounter

Fitzgerald and Hemingway actually met for the first time in Paris in 1925. By that time Fitzgerald, three years older than his companion, was already a fairly prominent writer. He had already managed to publish, though not perfect, but quite informative and popular novel This Side of Heaven (1920) as well as an equally successful work, The Beautiful and the Damned (1922). His third work, and in fact his first masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, was published the year they met. By the time he met Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway had only a small collection of short stories, In Our Time, and so his name was little known outside the narrow literary communities of Paris. This collection sold a small circulation of only 1,300 copies.

The acquaintance with Fitzgerald was another smile of fate for the young Hemingway. Earlier, in 1921, he had met Sherwood Anderson in Chicago, which resulted in a letter of recommendation to Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound; now Fitzgerald himself was deeply impressed by the novice writer’s talent and introduced him to his editor, Max Perkins, adding that Hemingway would be a great asset to the Scribner publishing house. If Fitzgerald did not personally raise Hemingway’s star to the firmament, at least he contributed tangibly. In the coming year, Scribner publishes Hemingway’s debut novel, And the Sun Rises, which paved the way for its author to reach the top of literary Olympus.

Origins of the Writers

The relationship between the two writers has since taken a rather unusual form. The older and more successful (at the time of their acquaintance) Fitzgerald voluntarily accepted the role of “younger brother” to the more stocky and overbearing Hemingway. The reason for this lay in similar backgrounds, but radically different characters. Both were born in the Midwest: Fitzgerald was born in Minnesota, while Hemingway was born on the outskirts of Chicago. Both had weak fathers and strict mothers. Scott had two older sisters who died when his mother was pregnant with him. Later another son was born, but he did not live one hour. Hemingway grew up under the same roof as his many sisters and spent his entire childhood dreaming of a younger brother. But when his brother Lester was born, Ernest had long since passed the adolescent stage of life. Since childhood, Fitzgerald had made a separate corner in his imagination for a real hero. Studying at Princeton, which he never finished, the writer idealized burly and stout soccer players, whom he could not match in any way. In turn, everyone who knew him singled out all the aforementioned athletic traits in Hemingway, which is why the two writers were a perfect match: Fitzgerald badly needed a hero, and Hemingway was that hero.

Different Writer’s Fates

The key element that makes it possible to draw a clear dividing line between the friendship of Hemingway and Fitzgerald is the essential difference between their writing careers, shaped by their own life circumstances. In fact, Scott Fitzgerald earned a mere pittance from the publication of his novels. By 1930, on the other hand, he had managed to amass a decent capital by writing short stories, but later that source of income dried up for the writer. He was in dire need of money. In 1920 he married the glamorous but volatile Zelda, and from then on the couple became the epitome of the luxurious and extravagant life. In Europe they were used to living surrounded by wealth, so Fitzgerald, who wanted to create novels, was forced to write more financially profitable short stories, mostly of second-rate quality even according to Fitzgerald himself. Fate-villain turned out to be a rather fastidious lady, and so his bad stories sold even better than the really high-quality stories.

Ironically, Fitzgerald’s career as a novelist-novelist came to a standstill just the year he met Hemingway. Thus Scott Fitzgerald did not write a single novel for the next nine years until he finished A Night Is Tender, which was considered a real failure by critics and general readers alike. According to Hemingway, the reason for this stagnation in creativity was the book The Great Gatsby, the success of which created doubt in the author’s soul that he would never be able to write such a text again. Beginning in 1925, Fitzgerald’s life became a three-way war: he battled alcoholism, his wife’s constant fits (in 1930 Zelda was hospitalized with a mental illness), and an unwitting ambition to write real novels, while being forced to write simple stories for newspapers to cover all the underlying costs. Later, during the Great Depression, even newspaper stories stopped generating any worthwhile income, and Fitzgerald was forced to seek his new career in Hollywood for writing movie scripts, which also failed at the box office.

Compared to such struggles, Hemingway’s fate shone with the brightest colors. While Fitzgerald’s career began its downward spiral, Hemingway was just beginning his long journey upward. After publishing his novel And the Sun Rises in 1926, Hemingway divorced his first wife Hadley Richardson and married a rich girl, Pauline Pfeiffer. In his life there is room for 2-m spouses, and on this occasion, Fitzgerald made a caustic remark, saying that Ernest every time he needs a new wife, when he wrote the next book. The novel Farewell to Arms was written on the west coast of America, where an influential uncle of Pauline gave the young couple a mansion. With no need to write just to make a living thanks to the success of his first novel and the affluence of his second wife, Hemingway could and did allow himself to look down on Fitzgerald’s newspaper work. Later, in the thirties, Hemingway also escaped the fate of writing Hollywood screenplays, in which even William Faulkner wallowed. Incidentally, he worked on a screenplay based on Hemingway’s “To Have and Have Not”, but Hollywood is Hollywood, and in the released film almost nothing remains of the original work. The year 1940 was marked by two major events: parallel to the death of Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway’s career reaches its climax with the publication of his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. As a result, we see an example of a friendship between two writers, one on the way down and the other on the way up.

The “internecine” relationship

Hemingway’s attitude toward Fitzgerald in The Feast That’s Always With You can, to some extent, be called a mishmash of exaggerations and memories tainted by alcohol. One of Hemingway’s biographers even suggested that Fitzgerald’s portrayal of a weak, drunken, unstable man was nothing more than a deliberate attempt to “defile” a comrade after Edmund Wilson and many other critics had reassessed their views on Fitzgerald’s work after his death. But despite the presence of certain distortions of meaning, Hemingway was hardly the only person who found it difficult to be around Scott Fitzgerald. Charming and touching when sober, Fitzgerald completely lost control of himself and his emotions when he drank. As one of the most famous drinkers in American literature, Fitzgerald, in reality, had a poor tolerance for the effects of this poison. Ignorance of his own measure automatically diminished the writer’s authority in Hemingway’s eyes, for it was a prerequisite for passing his “manhood test. Their mutual friends, including Gerald and Sarah Murphy, also attest to the fact that Fitzgerald became unruly when drunk. Hemingway even stated that at certain times he left orders that no one should give his Paris address to Fitzgerald to avoid his drunken visits. After several weekends spent at Scott’s house in 1928, Hemingway said that a bullfight seemed more tempting than a couple of days alone with the writer.

Up to a certain point the relationship between the writers was quite strong, even though Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald hated each other (Hemingway accused her of indulging Fitzgerald’s weaknesses). They kept up a regular correspondence, mostly very friendly, and Fitzgerald, as a true critic, among other things, left some pertinent remarks on the novel Goodbye Gun, which helped shape Hemingway’s style. Later their relationship deteriorated somewhat. The reason for this was the publication by Fitzgerald of a number of articles in which he recounted his own failures. Hemingway was horrified by such frank confessions of a friend; he honestly believed that every man has to find a solution to their own problems alone, you can not take it all out in public court. In The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Hemingway unequivocally rebukes his friend, which hurt Fitzgerald’s soul. And later the flow of harsh criticism from a previously friendly party does not stop: in 1934, Scott published the previously mentioned novel “The Night is Tender”, about which Hemingway speaks mostly negatively. To the writer’s credit, a few years later he rereads the novel and changes his attitude toward it.

Misfortune Friends

Perhaps the main difference between the two writers is that in the minds of the public Fitzgerald is largely perceived as a loser. But we should not forget that Hemingway, too, had his weaknesses, which Scott Fitzgerald was the one to point out. For example, he was right in his judgment of the role of women in Ernest Hemingway’s life. He preferred to solve marital problems by running away from them, so he had four wives. Despite Zelda’s severe mental illness, Fitzgerald remained faithful to her until the end of his life. In addition, Fitzgerald noted that, like him personally, Hemingway also had psychological vulnerabilities, though of a slightly different order. He attributed his problems to the realm of melancholy, while his comrade was prone to megalomania. And so it turned out! By 1940, when Scott Fitzgerald passed away and Ernest Hemingway was at the height of his fame, neither of them could have imagined that the latter’s last days would not be much different from the former’s. Hemingway never even mentally put himself in the uncomfortable position that Fitzgerald found himself in in 1937, when he went to Hollywood to write screenplays. But the last years of Hemingway’s life were haunted by the same ghosts that haunted his friend: alcoholism, mental problems, and an ever-growing anxiety that he would never reach his own level again. He marked the chapters on Scott Fitzgerald in The Feast That’s Always With You with such an introduction:

His talent was as natural as the pattern of pollen on a butterfly’s wings. At one time he understood it no more than the butterfly did, and he didn’t notice how the pattern wore off and faded. Later he realized that his wings were damaged, and he understood how they were arranged, and he learned to think, but he could not fly anymore, because his love for flying had disappeared, and all that remained in his memory was how easily he had once flown…

It was 1957 when Hemingway addressed these lines to his late friend, and, in fairness, they are no less relevant to their author.

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