The exemplary novel of the Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgeralds’ 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’s “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 of 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 great classics of twentieth-century literature.
more
A classic, must read.
I did not like thins book. Dull, self-centered characters.
One of my favorites of all time. Probably have re-read this more than any other book. The book and the Redford movie parallel and enhance one another.
This is a wonderful summer book, one that my coauthor Janice Kirk and I read almost every summer. For original descriptions and layered characters, it doesn’t get better than this classic.
Beautiful writing with memorable characters and an expose of the excess of the roaring 20’s. A great classic.
This book made me rethink the way I view people. F Scott Fitzgerald did a remarkable job tearing down the facades of humanity, exposing us for who we are: twisted, hungry individuals bent on finding our own happiness…sometimes at the expense of people that we claim to love.
While I found the story fascinating, the characters and the depth that …
This book is not for everyone, despite it being on most school reading lists. It is well written, and if you’re interested in what is was like to be rich and crrefree in the 20’s, with lots of steamy parts and literary characters, then this is a book for you!
One can just feel the energy of the era!
This is a classic that everyone should read!
One of the great classics of modern American literature! Required reading!
Classic.
Read this several times, like a lot of people. Maybe the best American novel?
As you can see from my likes, this is one of the great books ever. Has everything you would want to stay up all night to read. Unforgetable characters, from one of the greatest American authors.
I love this book and have read it many times.
This is a great American classic. Everyone should read it at least once.
I read this book in high school and re-read it as an adult and loved it both times. No film can do it justice because it’s all about the way it was written. Perfection.
Great story and good depiction of time period
I classic for all the right reasons.
Classic
Bought a set of all Fitzgerald’s works about 50 years ago. Loved them. I’m not usually a fan of non-fiction but thoroughly enjoyed his books. Hard to relate to some of his characters and stories given that everybody seems to be rich but worth the read.