The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Book Review

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’m working my way through the classics all these years later and finally decided to get to this book. I’d been putting it off because I really hated the movie version and just didn’t think the book would be any better.

I was dead wrong; this book was a wonderful shocking surprise. I understand now why so many believe rate this as one of the greatest pieces of American literature every written. I thought that since it was written in 1925 it would be a dated and boring sappy love story like the movie. It wasn’t, the characters and the story were as well written as any classic I’ve listened to so far and it’s a timeless look at love, loss, greed, obsession, tragedy, betrayal and so much more. The book in this case is far better than the movie to the billionth power.

Gatsby was a fascinating character in so many ways. He was man obsessed by a dream of sometime that couldn’t possibly live up to his expectations even if somehow could obtain it. That dream was that of woman (Daisy) he met 5 years earlier and somehow convinced himself that if he became rich he could convince her to leave her husband and be with him. As it turns out Gatsby learns that Daisy is a shallow shell of a spoiled rotten human being and contemptible cad.

The story touches so many levels of human emotional and is so beautifully written by Fitzgerald. The way he describes the small little human emotions and the subtle expressions of love are so memorable and so incredible lovely and beautiful it was hard for me to believe that Fitzgerald could write with such brilliance.

Before I listened to the book I knew a little about him personally and knew he was a notorious alcoholic who had an obsession with his real life wife (Zelda) that I now have learned mirrors that of Gatsby’s complete obsession with Daisy.

Now, I’m going to have to get my hands on a biography of Fitzgerald’s life and I may get to some of his other books. For all of his faults as a human being he wrote a story for the ages and one of the best books it’s been my pleasure to enjoy.

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