THE GREAT GATSBY

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Nathan Bransford
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THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by Nathan Bransford » February 9th, 2011, 12:03 am

I don't know if there's a better book that's been written, and I certainly don't think that there's a better last page than the end of THE GREAT GATSBY.

What do you think of Fitzgerald? To me he feels like the writer's writer. His prose is just so effortlessly incredible. His books aren't difficult to read, and yet the genius sings through. I am constantly in awe whenever I read anything he's written.

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Re: THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by sbs_mjc1 » February 9th, 2011, 4:53 am

I think his prose is brilliant, but I couldn't connect emotionally with the characters. However, I'm pretty sure this is a function of my life experience, not of the characterization, which is excellent.
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Re: THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by Sommer Leigh » February 10th, 2011, 8:23 am

The Great Gatsby is maybe the book I've read the most number of times. In college I turned to it to write lots of papers because I knew it so well I practically had it memorized. It's just so complex, particularly the women. I'm fascinated with the women in Gatsby.

Author John Green has a great video about understanding Gatsby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ3sSMAgS0Q
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Re: THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by Dankrubis » February 10th, 2011, 12:20 pm

I had a bad experience with THE GREAT GATSBY, but I blame myself. I think I read it late in high school or my freshmen year of college. I remember the teacher telling us it was one of the greatest books ever written, but it bored me. I'd say maybe it was built up too much, but I was probably too involved with drugs and women to give it a fair shake.

Maybe I'll give it another read!

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Re: THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by steve » February 10th, 2011, 12:30 pm

I read it every spring. It really is the best American novel.

TENDER IS THE NIGHT is great too, and entirely different, both in structure and language. It's a difficult book that requires attentive reading. A real heartbreaker.

The rest of Fitzgerald is average/bad. Lots of stilted prose that passed for modern in the 1920s but doesn't hold up today.
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Re: THE GREAT GATSBY

Post by Emily J » February 10th, 2011, 10:56 pm

Must admit I haven't read Gatsby since middle school or high school (it's been so long ago I can't even remember!) I remember my teacher talking about Nick as a reliable narrator, but I always thought it would be much more interesting to read viewing Nick as an unreliable narrator. When I get a chance I should reread it again.

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