it is considered a great american classic, but i had never read this book. i figured i should fix this terrible oversite, so i recently listened to it on audio book. i went in blind- i had no idea what it was about or anything. the story is set in new york's long island sound, a place that in the 1920's (when this book was written) was a haven for rich new englanders. gatsby, a self made millionaire, has devoted himself to getting back the girl he lost five years earlier to a rich man. he makes his millions and then tries to woo her back. the story is told from the voice of a man who befriends gatsby, but doesnt belong in the rich circles that the rest of them inhabit. there are trips to the city, dinner parties, and fancy drives, but all of it is shown to be so shallow.fitzgerald does an amazing job of drawing you into this world of excess and extreme shallowness. the lost love story is captivating, but over it all is a sad sense that even if everyone gets what they want they still have nothing of value. its tragic conclusion, like that of a greek tragedy, is sad but inevitable. a truly moving story, and an incredibly interesting glance into a time long since past.
