The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Paperback – December 20, 2014

I read it with my English classes.

I’ve seen the movie (twice), and I’ve been looking forward to reading the short story that the movie is based for a while now. The movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has very little in common with the book. The name is the same, and the core is the same, Benjamin Button is born old and as he grows older he grows younger both in the book and the movie. But in the book, he is raised by his father and not abandon at birth. And all the rest of the book differs also from the movie.I liked the story, first I couldn’t help but compare the story with movie and feel that the story was lacking everything the movie had, but soon I was sucked into the story and I’m glad it was different since it’s more fun reading something that not exactly like the movie.It’s a bittersweet story and in a way a cruel story since Benjamin all under his life is met with contempt and misunderstanding. The story is set during the latter half of the 19th century but it could as well be taking place now a day since being different is something that is always going to be met with ignorance.

Review 4.3 starsThis cleverly crafted short story was inspired by a remark of Mark Twain's that, "Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18."Ageing backwards has its advantages, and Fitzgerald explores various elements of such a life, Benjamin Button’s, showing how the happiness is balanced with frustration and misunderstanding - disadvantages. He weaves humorous moments alongside poignant ones creating a satirical commentary on society’s response to growing up, ageing, appearances and abilities.The language may feel dated, and the social standing of the Buttons may seem alien to many, yet the attitudes and expectations of people around Benjamin ring true today.Have our attitudes really progressed? A quick but thought-inspiring read from a master craftsman.Story – four starsSetting/World-building – five starsAuthenticity – four starsCharacters – five starsStructure – four starsReadability – four starsEditing – four stars

This short story may be easier to understand and relate to the older we get, but as someone with decades left, the perspective it offers on life, love, how we interact with out world, and what we prioritize, is impressive to say the least.Early on a few things feel glossed over, Benjamin's relationship with his mother for instance. But given this short story covers an entire lifespan, and touches on four generations of a family, I can accept being left to speculate on that.

I have wanted to find this since the movie came out – I didn’t even see the movie because I wanted to find some kind of book first—so I was very happy to get this! It was short and to the point, I read it all in one sitting. I feel for Benjamin though, a misfit from the day he was born until the day he died. It was a sad story in my opinion, even when he was happy.The art was nice, as was the story written. It was indeed a very interesting idea, but one I’m glad will never happen to an actual person – old at birth, baby at death. It would be a horrible life, but it made for a great (though sad) original story.

I like the visuals and the storyline in the movie better, but the book had other aspects like the social situation, the marriage that turned all wrong, and and him playing with his grandchildren. It was sweet but so sad.

Very quick, but extremely thoughtful read. Classic. Love to read this one every couple of years. Great story

I saw the trailer for the movie and when I heard it was based on a book, I went out and bought it. Everything that conjured up my interest in the trailer must have been thought up by the screenwriter because I read this short story and other than the main character being born old and getting younger, there was very little to hold my interest or capture my imagination. I would almost go so far as to say that this has to be one of the worst short stories I have ever read. Looking back, perhaps my review is shaded by contemporary times and I do not appreciate the much simpler time it was written for. Usually a person reads the book and the movie can't live up to the book. The short story left so much more to be desired. If you must read this book, borrow or check it out from your local library.I actually re-read this short story several years after this initial review. Stating that it probably is one of the worst short stories I have ever read was harsh, but nothing new or interesting was discovered the second time around. Growing up, there are several short stories that are assigned to you in various school-related coursework. This was never a title I came across in that manner and that's probably not a coincidence.

A hundred years old but incredibly readable. The story of a character who ages backwards nudges thoughts and reflections on aging, parenting, assumptions made on looks, memory.

Having seen and loved the film I wanted to try the book, also a bonus that it was a free download on the kindle.It was okay, nothing like the film apart the basics and the characters having the same names. It was a good little read, enjoyable but not like the film

Having not known anything of Benjamin Button other than the film and enjoying other Fitzgerald books I went into this short story open minded.I had expect it to be a very cut version of born- lived- died, however this contained more than I had imagined. There was enough depth to understand the characters personality and how it matched with the age he was when described, but not so much that it wouldn’t allow you to imagine other stories that could easily be intertwined if Fitzgerald had wanted to do so.A smooth easy read, done in under an hour

I haven't seen the film, but of course as with all Hollywood hype I've heard of it. So when this was offered I thought I'd give it a go, and I was glad I did. This was a great short story and filled in the spare time I bought it for nicely. I never have time to read a 'long' book anything more than a chapter or two at a time but this book is of such a size as to be read in a couple of sittings. Having said that, I could easily have enjoyed this book if it were longer, but it's a minor point. The story was great and the length was ideal for the time I had to read it. Very enjoyable.

It got one star because I couldn't see how to award zero.The book has been translated into a foreign language and then re-translated back into English. It has not been quality checked by anyone with even a minimal understanding of English. Not worth buying even though it was free.Amazon should be ashamed of allowing such poor product to be available on their site.