"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
A timeless classic, The Great Gatsby explores themes of wealth, class, and the corruption that lies beneath the golden surface of the American Dream.
Narrated by the introspective Nick Carraway, the story follows the enigmatic Jay Gatsby—a self-made millionaire obsessed with reuniting with his former lover—whose lavish parties mask a yearning for the past and a dream that refuses to die. As the summer unfolds in Long Island's West Egg, Fitzgerald paints a portrait of a society chasing pleasure while teetering on the edge of moral collapse and warns of the dangers of sacrificing our lives in service of a dream and the cost of dehumanising both ourselves and those around us.
F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) is widely regarded as one of the greatest American authors of the 20th century. Best known for capturing the spirit of the Jazz Age, his lyrical prose and sharp social commentary made him one of the defining voices of his generation, but despite early success, he struggled with personal and financial difficulties throughout his life and died aged 44, leaving behind a legacy that has widely influenced generations of writers.