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.
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A very dated story about the rich vs. poor. None of the characters are like able or believable.
Wonderful. Very much of its era.
Perhaps a little dull, might have been more interesting 80 years ago when I was in school. For all the hype about it back then it was almost a short story.
Simply put, this is one of the best novels ever written. Ever.
Awful !
I loved the book and have read it several times because I like the time, places, and characters. There’s no other book like it. Gatsby is a person in his own right who entertains, is wealthy, has beliefs, likes the world he lives in most of the time. Some historical events and time.
A good, easy to read classic. I enjoyed this quick, tragic story.
When I started Gatsby I thought I was reading a well written book about wealth and glamour…..but it turned out to be SO MUCH MORE. When I read the last page I had tears in my eyes, and I knew I had just read the work of an amazing talent. I am re-buying this book for my Kindle collection so I can have it with me always. AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, …
Great writing
I liked it . Great read
I can’t believe I had never read this classic. (I’m 68 years old.) I was surprised at how short it was and it really was not what I was expecting. But it was still very good.
I loved this read. It was about the fragile beauty of tragic lives. Inspiring.
What can I say? It’s F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It’s a classic.
It has been awhille since I read this but I remember it is very entertaining. Probably one of the most read novels annd made into a good movie
At face value, I see this book as a somewhat cheesy love story involving a bunch of rich people. It’s a book filled with elaborate parties, elaborate homes, and elaborate things. Throw in the story of Tom Buchanan’s love triangle and this book becomes deserving of a shirtless Fabio, blazing his embrace across the cover of a paperback that will …
An enjoyable, quick, and easy to read classic.
The best novella I’ve ever read without a doubt. Don’t expect to like most of the characters, that’s the point, but how FSF crammed so much into so few pages is pure genius. Wealth, ambition, closed social hierarchies and tragedy not so much brought together as shining a critical light on them.
This book was on my ‘to read list’ for many years and at last I’ve read it. I’ve found many modern classics somewhat overrated, reader reviews perpetuating their myth of importance, but not this book. Well worth the wait. It was an absolute delight.
This book is really a masterclass in crisp, yet beautifully detailed writing. Forget the ‘show …
F. Scott Fitzgerald, has produced the a gem of a story that brought to light the frivolous, dangerous, and romantic life of the 1920’s, that introduces one of the most mysterious men in literature, Jay Gatsby. The story is about Gatsby’s obsession with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan, and his attempts to win her back. The Great Gatsby is a …