Books

First edition, first printing, of the author's only play, a lovely copy in the rare jacket. Theatre was Fitzgerald's first love and he thought he would make his fortune with The Vegetable, which he considered the funniest play ever written. The adolescent Fitzgerald was a fledgling actor and impresario. He was active in the Princeton Triangle Club as a student, where he enjoyed the admiration and encouragement of his peers. The Louisville Post proclaimed that he "could take his place right now with the brightest writers of witty lyrics in America" (cited in Irwin) for his musical comedy Fie! Fi! Fi-Fi! (1914-15), so with a novel and a short story collection under his belt, Fitzgerald confidently turned his eye to Broadway. The Vegetable was published on 27 April 1923 and premiered in a single preview on 20 November at Nixon's Apollo Theatre in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The first act went well, but the dream sequence lost the audience and Fitzgerald himself wrote that "I wanted to stop the show and say it was all a mistake but the actors struggled heroically on" (Turnbull, p. 140). During the second intermission, Fitzgerald and his friend Ring Lardner asked the lead actor if he was even going to bother with the final act. When he replied that he was, the pair decided their evening would be better spent in a bar down the street. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine lettered in gilt, front cover lettered in blind, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. With dust jacket. Spine ends gently bumped, a few spots to top edge, bright and fresh; jacket lightly soiled, 11 cm closed tear from head of rear panel expertly repaired, a few chips and short closed tears at edges, vertical crease to front flap, bright and unclipped: a near-fine copy in very good jacket. Bruccoli A10.1a; Andrew Turnbull, Scott Fitzgerald, 1962; John T. Urwin, F. Scott Fitzgerald's Fiction: An Almost Theatrical Innocence, 2014.

"The Vegetable" stands as a unique and lesser-known work by F. Scott Fitzgerald, written in 1923 during a tumultuous period in the author's life. This comedic play is a departure from Fitzgerald's typical style, marking an experiment with satire and political commentary. The story centers on Jerry Frost, an amiable but somewhat naive young man, who inherits a substantial fortune when his father dies unexpectedly. Despite lacking any interest in politics, Jerry finds himself thrust into the political arena due to the manipulations of his ambitious and scheming mother, Mrs. Frost, and her associates. They see an opportunity to use Jerry's popularity and financial resources to advance their own political agendas. The play unfolds with Jerry reluctantly becoming a mayoral candidate for a town called Santa Paloma, a place characterized by its corruption and absurdity. Jerry's lack of political knowledge and his genuine, good-natured personality are exploited by those around him, turning his campaign into a farcical series of events. Throughout the play, Fitzgerald uses Jerry's experiences in politics to satirize the American political system of his time. He highlights the influence of money, the manipulation of public opinion, and the superficiality of political campaigns. The title, "The Vegetable," is a satirical reference to Jerry's perceived passivity and supposed lack of intellect by those attempting to control him for their gain. Despite the farcical elements, the play also touches on deeper themes. Jerry's journey becomes a commentary on the loss of innocence and the complexities of navigating a world driven by self-interest and manipulation. Although "The Vegetable" was not a critical or commercial success during Fitzgerald's lifetime, it provides insight into his experimentation with different literary forms and his attempt to satirize the political landscape of his era. It remains an intriguing piece for enthusiasts of Fitzgerald's work, offering a departure from his more renowned novels and showcasing his versatility as a writer.