This Side of Paradise

Exploring themes of youthful ambition and disillusionment, the novel follows Amory Blaine, a talented young man from the Midwest, as he navigates love and identity at Princeton University. His romantic hopes with Isabelle Borgé fade during a reunion at a prom, leading him to enlist in World War I. After returning, he struggles with self-doubt while pursuing a career in advertising and falling for debutante Rosalind Connage. This semi-autobiographical work captures the tragic essence of unrealized potential and the impact of a generation shaped by war.