52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My curiosity was satisfied with this rather peculiar tale..., October 17, 2008
I am not a huge fan of short stories, because it never fails that by the time I find myself invested in them I have reached the last page. Same can be said for `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', a rather delightful little story that is engaging, interesting and very rewarding. Yes, this is a short story, so I'm going to say this straight off; you may not want to invest your money in this version. I actually purchased another version from Amazon that has a few short stories for less money, so try you hand at that collection instead of this singular novel.
But, I wanted to take the time to review the story, because that's what these reviews are all about right, the work itself and not the packaging.
`The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' is a peculiar tale of a man born at the end of his life and has the rare opportunity of growing young, living his life in reverse as it were. F. Scott Fitzgerald states at the beginning of this story that it was inspired by a statement made by Mark Twain, that the best things in life happen at the beginning and the worst at the end. With `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' Fitzgerald plays the cynic, exploring how living life in reverse can be seemingly beneficial yet ultimately devastating.
Benjamin is born a brittle old man with a cane (not literally, but he needs one) and a full mind, and as the year's progress his relationships with those around him shift for various reasons. First he is at odds with his devastated parents who are ashamed of him, but as he grows to meet his father in age they become like brothers. He meets and falls in love with the young Hildegarde, who is attracted to the `older' Benjamin, only to marry her, grow younger than her, and drift apart from her. He takes over his fathers business and prospers because of his newfound energy, yet his youth begins to destroy him as his own son becomes his elder and is thus ashamed of the very sight of his father.
There is a moment within `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' where the elderly Benjamin (in mind, not in physicality) is attending kindergarten and is lamenting over the fact that the other children can talk about what they want to be when they grow up, a prospect that Benjamin will never see.
This to me captures the very point of this story.
Yes, this is a short story of a few pages and it moves rather quickly through Benjamin's life, but it is also written with such rich detail that one never feels jaded. I do wish that this had been written as a full length novel, for it surely has the potential to be one of the most refreshing and moving pieces of literature ever written. It is wildly original (although Fitzgerald himself has mentioned that he has read this prose elsewhere) and it is absurdly poignant. Yes, `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' has such a deep-rooted importance, for when you strip away the preposterousness of the prose there is a moral that is so humanly real we can feel it in the very pit of us.
We have all heard the phrase `the grass is greener on the other side' and this novel is the perfect answer back to that statement, for it proves that we shouldn't always be wishing for something we don't quite understand, because once we have it we may realize it is far from desired.
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25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful and unique story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, November 19, 2008
Normally I don't re-read books, but I've read this one about 4 times now, and I liked it more each time. And it's short, so it's a pretty fast read, and keeps your attention focused from beginning to end. Fitzgerald has such an amazing mastery of imagery and dialogue - reading this book is like watching a mini movie in your head. It's also a unique story in that it's very humorous, but also kind of sad. The two don't normally go together so well. I can't wait to see the movie they're making based on it! It will be interesting to compare their similarities and differences.
This copy (clock on cover & ISBN 1603550836) is a nice trade paperback sized book, not the smaller mass market paperback size you see in romance novels and cheaper paperbacks. It is thin, since it's a short story, but I was very pleased with the quality, and think it will make a great little present/stocking stuffer for my friends. I feel more confident giving a small book like this than a 500 page novel because I've always felt that with people being so busy, they may be hesitant to start a large novel. I also think since the movie opens on Christmas, they will love having a copy of the book to read around the same time.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT STORY, GREAT MOVIE, December 28, 2008
I read this story before seeing the movie starring Brad Pitt. The story is great and worth reading. It is only 20+ pages, but really interesting. I saw the movie yesterday, and highly recommend the movie. The movie has taken some liberties from the book, but still excellent. Movies are always a little different from the book. I recommend you read this story before seeing the movie.
I gave the book to my 19 year old son to read, and he enjoyed it too. We went to the movie together, and both enjoyed the movie. It was a nice mother/son date. I am an avid reader, but my son normally only reads for school or Harry Potter books, so it was nice that he enjoyed this story too, and wanted to see the movie with his mother. Pick up the book and share it with your family, you might be surprised how much they enjoy reading it too.
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