F. Scott Fitzgerald's Appeal F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, "The scope, depth and breadth of my writings are found in the lap of the Gods" (An Interview). Little did he know that "the gods" or his readers would take his fame to a whole new level. Perhaps his modesty about his talent is why he is so highly regarded or it could also be due to his ability to write magnificent stories similar to his life. F. Scott Fitzgerald's disturbing but extravagant lifestyle influenced his writing and was attributed to his fame. One of Fitzgerald's greatest achievements that earned him popularity was the development of the "Jazz Age" through his writings. He wrote a number of short stories specifically about the Jazz Age, but his most famous book, The Great Gatsby, also covers that time period. “Gatsby is the essential document of the Jazz Age, the work most commonly considered an accurate reflection of the ultimately irresponsible optimism of the boom years of the Roaring Twenties” (Sickels). Fitzgerald was able to captivate his audience as he wrote about this whimsical time (Sickels). That's why this book is a great achievement in its ability to capture the Jazz Age. Gatsby has essentially become an archetype of the Jazz Age and is used by some as a way to look back historically at this time period (Sickels). The novel was able to capture so many audiences and can still do so due to its historical accuracy, similarity to Fitzgerald's life, and connection to the Roaring Twenties. In his early years Fitzgerald wrote The Side of Paradise, a very popular book. This book was said to mirror his life post-war and as an undergraduate at Princeton. "The Side of Paradise chronicles the life of Amory Blaine, a Princeton u...... middle of paper ...... would have been Fitzgerald's best work had he lived to finish it" (Fitzgerald, F. Scott ). This shows that as his career grew, so did his talent and appreciation from others. His autobiographical work reaches many for its historical accuracy for the time and its ability to captivate the reader. Fitzgerald, being one of the most famous writers of all time, has fascinated many with his ongoing autobiographical work. This is most likely why he was so popular due to his ability to interpret his real life into whimsical stories. Making those who may or may not identify want to read his books. F. Scott Fitzgerald's disturbing yet extravagant lifestyle influenced his writing and contributed to his fame. His books continue to fascinate readers everywhere many years after his death.