The Next Best Book Club discussion

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I read this back in October of last year and have to say I didn't like it at all. The plot just trudged along and I found it very difficult to get through. Not a fan.

I've made it all the way through high school and my adult years without reading it yet... but I own it. Though I am not in a rush to get it read, I am interested to see what people have to say about it. It seems to be one of those Love It or Hate It books....

I read it during high school and again after college. I did not like it as much the second time as the first. But I will probably read it again in a few years. I found myself irritated with all of the characters, not just daisy, the second time around. Still, I would recommend everyone read it at least once in their lives.

I read it recently. It not impressed me. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it ever. I didn't understand why it's get so popular and on the top of classic list of must to be read. It's OK to read it once, but I would never to consider re-reading it in future. I wasn't touched and I didn't was sorry for any characters in book. this book just leave me indifferent

I had to read this in high school,didn't like it then but I plan on re-reading it again to see if I like it any better.A movie with Leo DiCaprio is coming out later this year so that's another reason I'll read it again

I find that this book splits the audience. Personally, I think it is one of the most honest and striking portrayals of the financial/emotional rise and fall faced by many Americans in the early 20th century. By focussing of a narrow group of characters, the author captured the allure of luxury and the tragedy of losing it all. I think it is a must read for any fan of American Literature.
-Ethan
http://e135-abookaweek.blogspot.com/

I haven't read it in a long time, but I liked it. And when it was a school assignment (I've read it once for school, once on my own), it was certainly better than a lot of the books we were assigned. I enjoy seeing what goes in to Fitzgerald's writing, and the character portraits and themes of longing are always interesting me.

That said, Daisy can stfu. ;)

I read this in high school (many years ago) and again two years ago. It was interesting to notice how some things changed when I read it as an adult. Now, I am going to read it again for the discussion.

i have never read this book but i've owned the book for years lol...im excited to read it i hope i like it but so far so good...

I hated this book in high school. I've decided to give it another chance from an adult perspective. Why not, it's short.

Only around 50,000 words!

Sara wrote: "Only around 50,000 words!"

Well when you say it like that... :)

I read this in college and really would like to re-read it at some point since I barely remember it. Did anyone read Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian? That's got some interesting tie-ins to Gatsby and it's really good just in and of itself.

Joanie wrote: "I read this in college and really would like to re-read it at some point since I barely remember it. Did anyone read Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian? That's got some interesting tie-..."
I haven't read this one, but I recently finished and enjoyed
The Night Strangers. I'll have to check it out. I recently reread Gatsby and it is just as good as I remembered!

I read this twice in high school and then again in college. In high school, I hated it. I didn't see what the big deal was. But when I read it in college, it clicked, and even though it's not my favorite book, I still really enjoy it.

I read this in high school and could not stand it. I've read it a few times since then and I find it a lot more enjoyable now. Putting it in context of the 1920s, this great era of excess with a dark underside marked by class division, the story comes alive for me. It can be read as an interpretation of the era. I just really love reading about the era.

I started reading this afternoon. After struggling with Dickens, it's pleasant to find this an easy read. I may not be far enough into the book to decide if I like the characters or plot yet. I would say it's not very compelling, but I'm vaguely interested to know what happens to the characters in the end.

I saw the film when I was a child and loved it (despised Daisy, of course).
Since then Fitzgerald has become on of my favourite authors. I had read most of his books before I finally got round to Gatsby. IMHO it is not his best but still a great book.

I love the way Fitzgerald tells a story. Most of the characters were so dis-likable , even Gatsby at times. The end of the book was sad, depressing and I hated Tom and Daisy. One of my favorite quotes from the book:

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made”

I read this book in University for an American Literature class and I don't remember as much if it as I would like, even though it wasn't that long ago. I don't recall loving or hating it but I do remember the characters not interesting me very much. I should reread it.

I hadn't previously read 'The Great Gatsby' and may never have read it if it was not voted our classic for Feburary. I must say I really enjoyed it. For me it was written about a specific period in time. I found it so uncomplicated and easy to read but yet delivering a wonderful array of characters. The book compared those of inherited wealth with the self made man following the great American dream. Tom Buchanan who shows such disdain and suspicion for Gatsby to me is morally bankrupt,so to is Daisy. She is shallow and superficial and lacks any morale fibre what so ever.Nick the narrator of the story is quite a detached character who although can see the characters flaws sits on the fence as a spectator until the end. Gatsby was the real romantic dreamer, ruthless too, to have arrived at where he was. I found it quite emotional when his father produced his copy with his personal plan of betterment at the finish. All in all thanks to whoever suggested it as a monthly read.

I actually re-read the book yesterday. I first read it back in high school; I found it accessible prose-wise but never though much about it. Reading it this time around, I've come to appreciate Fitzgerald's prose and the way he describes things. What really struck me was, like many of you mentioned, the opulence and the need to keep up with appearances in an age where there was a boom financially in America. All the parties and the lavish guests and at the end of the day, very few people came to even remember Gatsby, which was really sad and telling of what the materialism had resulted in.

Peggy wrote: "I love the way Fitzgerald tells a story. Most of the characters were so dis-likable , even Gatsby at times. The end of the book was sad, depressing and I hated Tom and Daisy. One of my favorite quotes from the book:

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” "

That was the perfect summary of Tom and Daisy's characters and I detested what they did at the end of the novel.

This is a first time read for me and one I have been meaning to get done for years. I really enjoyed it. It is a simple story but very well delivered. I was surprised at the end to realize how much I had come to like Gatsby (or maybe feel sorry for) and dislike Diasy.

I just borrowed this from my sister to re-read! I'm so glad other people are revisiting it, too!

I read The Great Gatsby in high school and then I read it again a few years later in college. I might have even read it a third time. I really wish that the group had chosen a different book by Fitzgerald, one of his lesser known novels, such as Tender Is the Night even though The Great Gatsby is a great novel. Because it has been so many years since I've read it, I might view it from another perspective now that I'm a "mature" adult. But I really don't want to read it again.

I read Gatsby in High School (more than 30 years ago! ) and didn't get much out of it. Read it again, as an adult, finally, for this group read and really enjoyed the language and F. Scott Fitzgerald's way of telling a story. In order to get a handle on what to look for in the story, I listened to a couple of the lectures on Fitzgerald and Gatsby in Classics of American Literature, a Great Courses set which I am fortunate enough to own (a birthday gift from my husband.) I think I agree with what Ashley said above:

Putting it in context of the 1920s, this great era of excess with a dark underside marked by class division, the story comes alive for me. It can be read as an interpretation of the era. I just really love reading about the era.

I have heard that they are remaking The Great Gatsby movie with Leonardo De Caprio as Gatsby, any truth to the rumour ?

Tanya wrote: "I have heard that they are remaking The Great Gatsby movie with Leonardo De Caprio as Gatsby, any truth to the rumour ?"

Yes the rumor is true .I think it comes out in December.One of the reasons I want to reread the novel before I see the movie.

Peggy wrote: "“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” "

That quote is the book for me. Careless people in a careless time. I don't think I ever thought as much about what the word "careless" meant until I read this book.

Well I read this book once for a book report in high school and then again just last month for pleasure. I remember not liking it the first time. Still one of my sisters bought it for me for my birthday last year because I told her I wanted it. I wanted to like this book, I really did. I figured I'd find a new appreciation for it the second time around. I guess I might like it a little bit better, but that's not saying much. The characters have barely any development, and I found I didn't care for them much either as some of you all didn't either. I finished the book and thought to myself, what was the point? I feel like whatever message there was supposed to be in this book just flew over my head. In the future, I still might try to read it again and I hope then I can like it, but for now the book was just alright. It wasn't the worst book, but it surely wasn't the best.

i liked reading this book it really gives you an insight of the classes back then. it makes you wonder were they really like that? Gatsby seems so ignorant to the fact that daisy loves money and glamour more then him and plz chicks like that, they always chose Tom who is he kidding?? kinda feel sorry for him, even though i love his character he seems so innocent compared to these kind of people.
when i read this comment
Peggy wrote: "“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” "

That quote is the book for me. Careless people in a careless time. I don't think I ever thought as much about what the word "careless" meant until I read this book.
i got the same feeling.it doesnt matter who gets hurt as long as they end up looking innocent in the end its all right in the world.
when Nick turned around and said to Gatsby "They're a rotten crowd","Your worth the whole damn bunch put together" it stuck in my head.
this is the first time i read this book, but i have seen the movie i felt the same way about daisy in the movie that i feel about her in the book, which is i dont like her!!!

I've shoved this novel to the far reaches of my brain since I had to do a horrendous term paper comparing The Great Gatsby with Tender is the Night.

Let's take a poll; which actor made the best Gatsby on film?

Robert Redford !!!!

Robert Redford

LOVED this book. I read it for the first time a few years ago, already WAY into my adult life and I absolutely fell in love with it. The story is wonderful, but moreso, the writing is just so incredibly beautiful, almost poetic. Not only do I own a copy but I bought several copies and gave them as gifts to my friends/family. Mine is filled with yellow highlights lol, I adore this book.

One of the few times I will say I preferred the movie to the book.