''The Crack-Up'' is a 1945 posthumous collection of

essay An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

s by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. It includes three essays Fitzgerald originally wrote for ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...

'' which were first published in 1936, including the title essay, along with previously unpublished letters and notes. After Fitzgerald's death in 1940, Edmund Wilson compiled and edited them into an anthology that was subsequently published by New Directions in 1945.

Essays

*"The Crack-Up" (originally ''Esquire'' magazine, February 1936) *"Pasting It Together" (originally ''Esquire'' magazine, March 1936) *"Handle With Care" (originally ''Esquire'' magazine, April 1936) :collected together under the title ''The Crack-Up'' in the book The book also includes other essays by Fitzgerald and positive evaluations of his work by Glenway Wescott,

John Dos Passos John Roderigo Dos Passos (; January 14, 1896 – September 28, 1970) was an American novelist, most notable for his U.S.A. (trilogy), ''U.S.A.'' trilogy. Born in Chicago, Dos Passos graduated from Harvard College in 1916. He traveled widely as a ...

, and John Peale Bishop, plus letters from Gertrude Stein, T. S. Eliot, and

Edith Wharton Edith Newbold Wharton (; ; January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American writer and designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York "aristocracy" to portray, realistically, the lives and morals of the Gil ...

in 1925 praising Fitzgerald's novel ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...

''.

Legacy

Upon initial publication, the essays were poorly received and many reviewers were openly critical, particularly of Fitzgerald's personal revelations and his admission of his pessimistic outlook. Critics have since referred to the collection as "a compelling psychological portrait and an illustration of an important Fitzgerald antheme". French philosopher

Gilles Deleuze Gilles Louis René Deleuze (18 January 1925 – 4 November 1995) was a French philosopher who, from the early 1950s until his death in 1995, wrote on philosophy, literature, film, and fine art. His most popular works were the two volumes o ...

adopted and further conceptualized the term ''crack'' from "The Crack-Up" in '' The Logic of Sense''.

In popular culture

The title of the 2017 Fleet Foxes album '' Crack-Up'' was inspired by these essays.Fleet Foxes - Robin Pecknold Interview with Zach Cowie
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References

External links

''The Crack-Up'' By F. Scott Fitzgerald
''

''. Originally published in ''Esquire''s February, March, and April 1936 issues. 1945 books Books by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay collections Works originally published in Esquire (magazine) Literature about alcohol abuse Books published posthumously New Directions Publishing books {{essay-stub