From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Start date: January 15, 2017

Finish date: February 14, 2017

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Why we're reading this: Came in first in the Poll!
Genre: Novel
Published: April 10, 1925
[close] Came in first in the Poll!
Genre: Novel
Published: April 10, 1925

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May 30, 2012 midnightfaerie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, favorites, rory-gilmore

This bombastic roaring novel goes from eliciting Bronx Cheers to being the Cat's Meow. A faithful embodiment of what the twenties were like, the book thrusts us into the thick of things with no buildup whatsoever other than the most beautiful of slanged prose.

"The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild This bombastic roaring novel goes from eliciting Bronx Cheers to being the Cat's Meow. A faithful embodiment of what the twenties were like, the book thrusts us into the thick of things with no buildup whatsoever other than the most beautiful of slanged prose.

"The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men."

I've never known an author to use such different styles of adjectives, from classical to modern vernacular, and have it come off as anything less than choppy. But Fitzgerald pulls it off, over and over again. His writing astounds me and leaves me breathless with new experiences, and for that, I thank him.

The story is told from Nick Carraway's point of view, both a participant in the story and also someone who fades easily into the background to observe. It seems from a surface look at his writing, that he despises these people he associates with, and finds their habits and actions distasteful, yet he can't seem to get away from them. He is fascinated and repelled at the same time.

"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired."

Living next to Jay Gatsby, he is pulled into the life of the rich socialites. At first he thinks it's because of mere whim but then finds out it's because Gatsby wants an afternoon tea arranged with one Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, a married woman, and the girl whom Gatsby was once in love with. Nick arranges it against his better judgment and from there, the story never seems to slow down. Whether fast-paced in action, or fascinating conjecture of life's little moments, this book had me hooked from beginning to end.

"Daisy, was too wise ever to carry well-forgotten dreams from age to age."

Fitzgerald has a unique and different style of writing that doesn't come close to anything I've ever read before. He also has an uncanny way of making you not only be able to imagine the 1920's, but feel it, taste it, smell it, and, in this case, sweat it. All of it adding to the list of reasons we should consider him a classical writer. There are many underlying themes here, not the least of which are love, hate, revenge, guilt, self-worth, and infidelity. The Great Gatsby has definitely withstood the test of time, selling more books with each passing year, and along with the magic factor, he also has a huge following. For all these reasons and more, I consider this book a classic.

"It vanished in the trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."

One last thing I'd like to mention is that I'm really looking forward to the movie coming out in May. And it was in no small part of my decision for reading this book on my list. I also have to say, Leonardo Dicaprio never impressed me much in Titanic, my first movie of him. But then I saw Who's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Gangs of New York, and Catch me If you Can, and Blood Diamond. And even though I never particularly enjoyed watching him, I was greatly impressed with his talent, and grew to enjoy watching him, so that when I heard he was going to play Gatsby, I was satisfied that he would do the character justice. Dicaprio, combined with Toby Maguire, was enough to make me blissfully anticipate the coming of this film. I do believe, ever since Spider-man, the critics don't give Maguire enough credit as an actor. But I will never forget him in The Cider House Rules and especially The Ice Storm. Those alone give him credit as an actor. So, I happily look forward to watching this movie, especially after having just added this book to my favorites.
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Nov 24, 2018 Mike Snodgrass rated it really liked it

Amazing linguistic ability - beautiful language in the writing. I felt like I was part of life in the roaring 20s - saw the decadence - but of course also saw the very sad aspects of people and the times.

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