"Even the grief he could have borne was left behind in the country of illusion, of youth, of the richness of life, where his winter dreams had flourished."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald, Winter Dreams (1922)
Winter Dreams (1922) by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the author's early short stories which served as a first draft of sorts for The Great Gatsby (1925) also available from Cosimo Classics. The plot and characters are based on Fitzgerald's two-year romantic pursuit of socialite Ginevra King who rebuffed him as too poor for her to marry. Protagonist Dexter Green attempts to snare the love of rich girl Judy Jones from their preteen years to adulthood, only to have his heart broken each time. Any fan of Fitzgerald, Daisy, and Gatsby will love this melancholy romance which stands the test of time.