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Birth
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to a well-off Irish-Catholic family. -
Princeton
Fitzgerald chooses to stay in New Jersey after graduating from the Newman School to study at Princeton. While attending the college, he focuses solely on his work, and writes scripts for the Triangle Club. -
Fitzgerald Joins the Army
In 1917, Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton to join the U.S. Army. However, he feared that he might die, and never fulfill his literary dreams; so he quickly wrote The Romantic Egotist. The novel was rejected, but Fitzgerald was encouraged to send more work in the future. -
First Novel
Fitzgerald rewrites his failed novel, and creates This Side of Paradise. The book is an instant hit, and Fitzgerald's career is looking very promising. -
Marriage
On April 4, 1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre; A girl he meet when he was serving in Alabama. -
A Child is Born
In 1921, the Fitzgerald's have their first and only child, Frances Scott Fitzgerald. -
The Great Gatsby
After moving to France in 1924, Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, which is now considered not only his finest work, but also one of the finest pieces of American literature. -
Alcoholism
Fitzgerald was on the track to becoming an incurable alcoholic. Also around this time, Zelda was struggling with her own mental health, and she suffered a breakdown from which she never recovered. -
Failed Novel
Fitzgerald wrote his fourth novel, Tender is the Night. The novel was considered the fall of his career at the time, today it is noted to be a fine piece of American literature. -
Screenwriter
After his failed novel, Fitzgerald moved to Los Angeles and became a screenwriter for MGM. -
Death
At age 44, Fitzgerald died of a heart attack in Hollywood, California. At the time, he was working on a novel, but when he died he was only halfway done. -
Success After Death
In the 1950s, Fitzgerald's book were finally seen as fine works of literature, and to this day Fitzgerald is considered a great American novelist.
