not being a fan of thackery or fitzgerald myself, i can see where therein lies part of the problem.

i can also see your point, but perhaps from my angle, i have a hard time empathizing with characters who squander their gifts and blessings. while part of me wants to draw some moral epilogue from these tales, another part of me just feels the lives were ultimately wasted: devoid of anything greater than the cheap glow of ambition/decadence.

at any rate: worth a ponder. or two.

: D