Show notes
Season 2 Episode 5 This Side of Paradise is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which catapulted him to literary fame upon its publication in 1920. The novel follows the journey of Amory Blaine, a young man with ambitions and aspirations, as he navigates through the changing landscape of America in the early 20th century. It serves as a captivating exploration of youth, love, societal expectations, and the search for identity. The plot of "This Side of Paradise" revolves around Amory Blaine's life from his adolescence to his early adulthood. The story opens with Amory as a charismatic and idealistic Princeton University student. The novel chronicles his experiences with love, friendships, and intellectual pursuits, capturing the vibrant spirit and disillusionment of the post-World War I generation. Amory's relationships with a series of women, particularly his love interest, Rosalind Connage, become central to the narrative, reflecting the complexities of romantic relationships and the pursuit of happiness. As Amory matures and faces the realities of adulthood, he grapples with the tension between his desires and society's expectations. The novel explores themes of social class, personal growth, and the clash between traditional values and the emerging modern era. Fitzgerald's prose brings to life the emotional turmoil, introspection, and self-discovery that shape Amory's character. "This Side of Paradise" was adapted into a radio presentation as part of the "NBC University Theater" series. The "NBC University Theater" aired educational and literary programming from 1948 to 1951, aiming to bring intellectual and cultural content to radio listeners. While specific details of the adaptation are not available, it is likely that the radio presentation of "This Side of Paradise" sought to capture the essence of Fitzgerald's evocative storytelling and portray the struggles and aspirations of Amory Blaine in a compelling audio format. "This Side of Paradise" stands as a seminal work in American literature, marking Fitzgerald's debut as a novelist and showcasing his talent for capturing the zeitgeist of his time. Through its exploration of the complexities of youth and the pursuit of the American Dream, the novel continues to resonate with readers and radio listeners, offering a poignant reflection on the human experience in a rapidly changing world. Books in Sound is a free podcast series that presents a collection of hundreds of the world’s greatest books through the magic of the performing arts. Different from audiobooks: Instead of having a single narrator read an audiobook, these performances have a full cast of actors, suitable background music, and special effects that help define the drama. Most presentations are from old time radio theater broadcasts that have been remastered to remove most of the hissing, clicking and volume fluctuations. Many of the presentations are from the 1930's and 1940's, so a significant amount of work went into the remastering process. Most presentations are about one hour, some are multiple hours, and some are abbreviated presentation that last about half an hour, making this series wonderful for bedtime stories, self-improvement by learning about literature, or simply as a very imaginative form of entertainment. The episodes are not sequential, but we do recommend listening to the complete collection starting with the first episode so that you can grow and benefit from the wide assortment of styles and content. For more information visit https://www.booksinsound.com