The Great Gatsby

Hardcover, 172 pages

English language

Published Nov. 3, 1996 by Scribner Classics.

ISBN:
9780684830421

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5 stars (1 review)

The exemplary novel of the Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, The Great Gatsby (1925), stands as the supreme achievement of his career. T.S. Eliot read it three times and saw it as the "first step" American fiction had taken since Henry James; H.L. Mencken praised "the charm and beauty of the writing," as well as Fitzgerald's sharp social sense; and Thomas Wolfe hailed it as Fitzgerald'd "best work" thus far. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when, The New York Times remarked, "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale America in the 1920s that resonates with the power of myth. A novel of lyrical beauty yet brutal realism, of magic, romance, and mysticism, The Great Gatsby is one of the …

67 editions

So Happy To Experience It Again!

5 stars

I was (like many) forced to read The Great Gatsby in high school, though I wish I hadn't as I was incapable of truly appreciating it at the time.

As others have mentioned, Fitzgerald's prose is unbelievable. In just a few words he can paint vivid imagery in your mind with layers of depth and analysis to accompany the emotions. The story and characters are beautifully written with a natural complexity that avoids the cliche 'good guys' & 'bad guys' we typically experience.

Just from my perspective alone, I found many themes and interpretations to the story which resonated with me, just to name a few:

  • Clinging to the past and trying to repeat history expecting a different outcome. Recently this has tied nicely into my romantic life, where I've been noticing some repetition compulsion.
  • Nick's character in general was someone I found myself heavily relating to, as I feel …

Subjects

  • Traffic accidents -- Fiction
  • First loves -- Fiction
  • Rich people -- Fiction
  • Mistresses -- Fiction
  • Revenge -- Fiction
  • Long Island (N.Y.) -- Fiction