A true classic of twentieth-century literature, this edition has been updated by Fitzgerald scholar James L.W. West III to include the author's final revisions and features a note on the composition and text, a personal foreword by Fitzgerald's granddaughter, Eleanor Lanahan--and a new introduction by two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.
Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously 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 noted "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.
- ISBN10 0743273567
- ISBN13 9780743273565
- Publish Date 1 October 2004 (first published 14 July 1905)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Simon & Schuster Ltd
- Imprint Scribner
- Format Paperback
- Pages 180
- Language English
Reviews
RoXXie
Die Welt erscheint jedem von uns auch mal tristlos und grau. Auch Gatsby hatte dieses Gefühl, schon in jungen Jahren. Er fühlte sich zu mehr berufen. Dazu, die Welt zu sehen, sie zu umarmen und voll auszukosten.
Und tat was er tun musste, um zu bekommen, was er begehrte. Doch tief in ihm war etwas, ein größeres Begehren. Es bringt die Vergangenheit wieder und vielleicht wird es ihn alles kosten, was er hat, um diesem Begehren nachzugeben.
jnkay01
Ele.ments
tylerrosereads
remo
Bianca
10. A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads
He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass.
— A critique of wealth and materialism, disguised as a tragic love story
Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
All that said, I still don't find this to be a remarkable novel? I have a bit more appreciation for satirical aspects of it, but The Great Gatsby is marketed most as a star-crossed romance. While it is this huge, easy romance... I just couldn't bring myself to care. The characters are so shallow and uninteresting that a bit like Nick, I cannot be bothered to be interested in Daisy and Gatsby or Tom and Myrtle or any of it.
And, yes, I do realize the irony of that. I realize that they are shallow on purpose. I understand and appreciate the fact that one of the aims of The Great Gatsby is to shine a light on the frivolous, self-interested nature of the 1%, but unfortunately it's still a novel as well, and the satirical choices took away from the the character design. And that's okay, because this novel still works for some people. I am just not those people. I need to feel attached to my characters, even if they are horrible people. Without that investment, I lose interest in the novel.
So - as I appreciate Fitzgerald's writing style a little more now (some of his word choices are exquisite) and I understand the purpose of the story a bit better, I'm raising my review from one star to three. It's still not a book I love - it's not even a book I like - but I can respect it a bit.
Oh. Except for all the racist crap Tom spouts? That's bullshit.
_________________
Original Review (2005) - 1 Star
kiracanread
readingwithwrin
It was okay, and I knew most of the story already, from things I've heard.
Truthfully I found Daisy to be fairly annoying and way overly privileged. Her husband was equally annoying.
Nick was a character I actually liked and cared about through most of the book. I wanted to see him succeeded and try and get Gatsby to stop being so obsessed with Daisy.
Gatsby, you had everything so many people wanted, yet you sat around and wasted it by pinning for someone you could never have. Also what exactly did he do for a job, and why so secretive all the time?
I get the hype around this book, and I feel like If I had read this with a group instead of on my own I would have liked it more.