The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald, Francis Scott

May 2016 · Aegitas

4.6

108 reviews

Ebook

123

Pages

Eligible

Switch to the audiobook

About this ebook

The Great Gatsby is a novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding theAmerican Dream. Fitzgerald—inspired by the parties he had attended while visiting Long Island's north shore—began planning the novel in 1920, desiring to produce, in his words, "something new—something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." Progress was slow, with Fitzgerald completing his first draft following a move to the French Riviera after six months. His editor, Maxwell Perkins, felt the book was too vague and convinced the author to revise over the next winter. Fitzgerald was repeatedly ambivalent about the book's title and he considered a variety of alternatives, including titles that referenced the Roman character Trimalchio; the title he was last documented to have desired was Under the Red, White, and Blue.

Ratings and reviews

4.6

108 reviews

Gabrielle Lee Jarrett

January 22, 2018

I have never seen the movie, but if it is anywhere close to the novel, I would be very pleased. The novel holds mystery and drama that spins a tale of near unfaithfulness and backstabbing murder. (I didn't give a major spoil.)

6 people found this review helpful

Mharlon Road

March 30, 2023

Faithful and heroic dedication of love story told though heart-piercing pain, a tragic one. Its depth and symbolism signifies rather one face of a story behind.Well, I got nostalgic after reading this like melancholy forever sticks in our heart and mind. One of the best classic novels I have ever read. Great Gatsby, indeed!

Aimée Kabala

April 24, 2019

It starts slow, but the rest of the story unfolds in a way that keeps on your toes, frustrates you, and brakes your heart. The end, though tragic, forces you to reflect on your own life.

3 people found this review helpful

About the author

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American writer, whose works illustrate the Jazz Age. While he achieved limited success in his lifetime, he is now widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost Generation" of the 1920s. He finished four novels: This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Great Gatsby, and Tender Is the Night. A fifth, unfinished novel, The Last Tycoon, was published posthumously. Fitzgerald also authored four collections of short stories, as well as 164 short stories in magazines during his lifetime.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.