The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Unlike the wonders of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned is quite the snooze. He captures all the frustrating things about upperclass social habits during an era of prohibition and war around 1910. Not only are the characters vapid and insensitive but they encompass the very idea of ridiculous. In this tale one sees highlights of the working class and the importance of not riding out life on things given to you. It also brings attention to the societal position of women at the time and how marriage is viewed and used somewhat as a way to elevate social standing. There isn't a lot of emotion going on in this novel but a whole lot of social conformity which may contribute to the frustration of how the story unravels. I do not recommend this read if you're impatient, there isn't much to enjoy.