after a dear friend informed me that she was soon to jetting off to cannes for a five day holiday in the sun, i could not get the glamour of the french riviera off my mind. my first thought was of one of my very favorite novels, tender is the night, by f. scott fitzgerald.
the famous author's final completed novel, about a an attractive, wealthy couple and their friends, it epitomizes the mindset of the 'lost' generation: american ex-pats in europe during the inter-war years. filled with parties of opulence and exoticism, and provocative, yet mysterious, tremendously complex characters, and beautifully evoked scenes of the mediterranean coast that are most like hemingway's, infidelity and drama of the idle rich, and an important mix of psychological calm and chaos, all narrated by fitztgerland's near-poetic prose at its height.
the famous author's final completed novel, about a an attractive, wealthy couple and their friends, it epitomizes the mindset of the 'lost' generation: american ex-pats in europe during the inter-war years. filled with parties of opulence and exoticism, and provocative, yet mysterious, tremendously complex characters, and beautifully evoked scenes of the mediterranean coast that are most like hemingway's, infidelity and drama of the idle rich, and an important mix of psychological calm and chaos, all narrated by fitztgerland's near-poetic prose at its height.
"so green and cool that the leaves and petals were curled with tender damp."
"there was some element of loneliness involved- so easy to be loved- so hard to love."
but cannes is more than this literature: it is old hollywood and films of bardot and grace kelly and the most gorgeous people sipping bellinis on the beach and yachts in sailor-stripped or breezy whites under the most chic umbrella-ed terrace.
happy weekend. hope yours is filled with romance and rest and, perhaps, a delightful dose of fitzgerald.
xx hillary
Yes, we were also enchanted! Spent our summer hols in cannes this year. Way up in the hills, with tropical green parakeets flying around at dusk and the twinkly lights of cannes to the left, and Cannes la Bocca to the right. Heaven! The poster for tender is the night looks just like where we stayed. Our favourite place for coffee was Le Notre, sitting out on the pavement, eating warm madeleines and watching the world go by!
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