The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby
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Erin
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rated it 5 stars
Oct 31, 2011 12:55AM
If you do not appreciate this novel, I find it nearly impossible to believe that you love or understand American literature, of which this is a beautiful and carefully constructed example.
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I haven't read the book, but it calls my attention. I have a book analizing English literature books and this one is one of them.The summary reminded me two things:
1. The Citizen Kane movie.
2. That it's easier to have party and shallow friends than true ones.
This is one of my favorite books. It is beautifully written and tells so much about us as individuals and as a society. I reread it every few years and am still so moved and awed by it.
Angie, excellent insight. I also saw some connection between Citizen Kane and The Great Gatsby. I think Gatsby may have been Orson Welles' inspiration for the film. Even if it wasn't, I think the themes are the same.
I understand many people do not like this book because it is challenging, well for kids around my age. I had the great pleasure of reading this in high school so if i didn't understand any of it i could of asked my teacher. Many of my classmates hated this book, in the beginning i did too, but i grew to love it.
Jason wrote: "Angie, excellent insight. I also saw some connection between Citizen Kane and The Great Gatsby. I think Gatsby may have been Orson Welles' inspiration for the film. Even if it wasn't, I think the t..."I do not agree, this book is really about 1920's mentality and how their extravagance and partying rang hollow and also helped lead to the great depression.
I'm one of those who finds the book nigh on undreadable - same with Tender is the Night - Fitzgerald for me is an anathama. Read both books to the end wondering what I was missing. Would have to be paid a great deal of red wine to read anything else by Fitzgerald
Gatsby was not the inspiration for Kane was William Hearst I believe
Probably a combination of William Randolph Hearst and Samuel Insull who was responsible for the Chicago Opera House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_I...).
I was a friend of Dorothy Comingore, alias Susan the opera singer in the movie. She never questioned that Kane was Hearst.
I saw the film when I was quite a small child, 6 or 7, and immediately loved the story.Later I was given some of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short stories which I loved in a tragic, depressing kind of way.
Of course then I had to read The Great Gatsby and I loved the book as much as I loved the film though not quite as much as Tender is the Night which is my favourite of his books; F. Scott Fitzgerald at his tragic-melancholic best.
Sandyboy wrote: "I'm one of those who finds the book nigh on undreadable .....Would have to be paid a great deal of red wine to read anything else by Fitzgerald ..."Have you ever read his short stories? They have a slightly lighter writing style.
And apropos of your red wine remark the stories frequently involve so much drinking that I finished them in a stupor despite being stone-cold sober!
As Fitzgerald himself was a famous alcoholic I should imagine much of his writing was completed while under the influence.
Esther, as were many of the classic writers. Hemingway, Kerouac, Joyce... the list goes on...
A lot of them were proud of their vast consumption of alcohol. Then as now, reckless and irresponsible.
Booze does not make you a better writer
Both of you are assuming a lot. There are LOTS of writers, genius writers, who thrive on alcohol.
They thrive in spite of alcohol.
Stop making stuff up.
Wine is bottled poetry. ~Robert Louis Stevenson
I heard that there is going to be a new movie with DiCaprio. I want to read the book before.
Angie wrote: "I heard that there is going to be a new movie with DiCaprio. I want to read the book before."I've just read about it. For me it is a must-see.
Looks like a good cast
As for CITIZEN KANE, it is also a shallow story. Nevertheless it is on my top 10 list for its sheer cinematic quality. And should you doubt the first statement in this posting, I had it from the filly`s mouth herself that she considered the movie was shallow, namely Dorothy Comingore, who played Susan, the opera singer.
I actually found the Gatsby story wanting in some respects, and wished I could write a story as wanting and successful
Angie wrote: "I haven't read the book, but it calls my attention. I have a book analizing English literature books and this one is one of them.The summary reminded me two things:
1. The Citizen Kane movi..."
James Gatz or The Great Gatsby reinvents himself. The theme is: money doesn't make you happy. The irony is that only two people come to Gatsby's funeral: his father and Nick Carraway.
Vik wrote: "I recently did a blog post regarding GATSBY at http://bit.ly/vyAxc0"I just subscribed to your blog.
Michael wrote: "Jason wrote: "Angie, excellent insight. I also saw some connection between Citizen Kane and The Great Gatsby. I think Gatsby may have been Orson Welles' inspiration for the film. Even if it wasn't,..."Citizen Kane is about the life of William Randolphy Hearst who was born rich. Gatsby was a poor boy who became rich by bootlegging. Despite his new found wealth Gatsby never fit it; he was not accepted by the Old Money people like Tom Buchanan.
Hearst's granddaughter was kidnapped by the Symbolnese Liberation Army.
David wrote: "Vik wrote: "I recently did a blog post regarding GATSBY at http://bit.ly/vyAxc0"I just subscribed to your blog."
Fantastic. Glad you like it!
I love this book, it's one of my favourite. There is so much poetry in Fitzgerald's writing and I really appreciate his insight of society and human nature. Every time I reread "the great gatsby", I learn something about me.
I first read GG when I was young. In order to make sense of some of the sentences, I read them out loud, puzzling over the words, listening to the phrases. It was the first time I remember falling in love with the sound of the English language. So you might say that Fitzgerald introduced me to the love of reading and the sound of words. I think it is a paean to English and to literature.
I don't think that is a fair assessment. My dislike of the book had nothing to do with not understanding it. Fitzgerald does write beautifully and is very descriptive. I simply loathed the characters in the novel. I hated the obsession with money, appearances and social status. I understand the social commentary. I also fully understand how the novel is reflective of the times in which it was written and the broader statement that he was trying to make, but that doesn't change how it made me feel while reading.
This book could be about today. Think of the greeds CEO and Wall Street bankers who have bankrupted the country. "The Great Gatsby" like any classic is timeless.
Susan Russo wrote: "I first read GG when I was young. In order to make sense of some of the sentences, I read them out loud, puzzling over the words, listening to the phrases. It was the first time I remember falling ..."I love your post. English is a beautiful language when it is used well.
I had to read it in college and fell in love with the book, the author, and his wife. I have reread Gatsby 3 or 4 times in the last 20 years and plan to read it again soon. It is my favorite book, every sentence seems to be full of symbolism. You learn something new every read.
Pat wrote: "This is one of my favorite books. It is beautifully written and tells so much about us as individuals and as a society. I reread it every few years and am still so moved and awed by it."I do the same.
David wrote: "This book could be about today. Think of the greeds CEO and Wall Street bankers who have bankrupted the country. "The Great Gatsby" like any classic is timeless."Had not made the comparision, but you are so right.
Esther wrote: "Pat wrote: "This is one of my favorite books. It is beautifully written and tells so much about us as individuals and as a society. I reread it every few years and am still so moved and awed by i..."I second that emotion.
i love this book. sorry i was so snottypants about it earlier-- fitzgerald is one of the greats, though.
Snottypants is very harsh language
Pat wrote: "This is one of my favorite books. It is beautifully written and tells so much about us as individuals and as a society. I reread it every few years and am still so moved and awed by it."It's a great one to reread! I find the rhythms of the language exquisite!
"It was the first time I remember falling in love with the sound of the English language..." Beautifully said! I love to read Fitzgerald then walk in nature, letting the rhythms flow through my being.
Erin wrote: "If you do not appreciate this novel, I find it nearly impossible to believe that you love or understand American literature, of which this is a beautiful and carefully constructed example."I don't think it's fair to judge readers and their understanding or love of American literature based on one book. I love books, and many types of writing style. I did NOT like this book at all, but I don't think that excludes me from loving American literature, or having an understanding it. I understood this story, I just didn't like it or how it was written.
Anyone who loved this book should read The Late Gatsby - a mash-up of the original with a classic vampire narrative. It's very different from all the other zombie/vampire mash-ups of recent years - it's well-crafted, not thrown together, and is actually a sort of tribute to the original (a lot of fun details might escape someone who did not read the original.
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