Gatsby at Cornell

For those of you who are new to reading Gatsby or if you'd like some guidance in re-reading the book, Cornell University has a site for you.  In 2006 the university chose The Great Gatsby as the book for their annual New Student Reading Project. Their site not only helps you explore the book, but provides expanded information on Fitzgerald, the Jazz Age and more as well as study questions and panel discussions. For anyone still wondering why this book continues to receive so much attention and high praise, check out Cornell's explanation for why this book was chosen for their reading project.

Library to show A&E version of Gatsby

A&E production of The Great Gatsby 

Tuesday, June 9 at 2 p.m.

 in the Friends' Room. 

 No registration needed, newcomers welcome.

Gatsby: The Book

The Great Gatsby was published by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1925. It was Fitzgerald's 3rd novel (following This Side of Paradise, 1920 and The Beautiful and Damned, 1922). His editor at Scribner's was the legendary Maxwell Perkins who had a great influence on not only Fitzgerald's writing career but those of several other authors of the time including Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe. In recent years the book has been often called "The Great American Novel" and is listed second on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels of the Twentieth Century. However, at the time of Fitzgerald's death in 1940, the book had only sold 25,000 copies in its 15 years in publication. It now sells over 500,000 copies annually with e-book sales alone in 2012 reaching 185,000. 

As the summer progresses, additional posts will be added focusing on specific themes and devices within the book. Please feel free to record your impressions of the book or post questions you may have at any time.