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The Great Gatsby  By  cover art

The Great Gatsby

By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Narrated by: Jake Gyllenhaal
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Editorial review


By Madeline Anthony, Audible Editor

HOW THE GREAT GATSBY BECAME THE QUINTESSENTIAL JAZZ AGE NOVEL

If you ever find yourself pondering the correlation between the greatness of a work and it’s commercial success (or lack there of), and whether or not the first has anything to do with the latter, here’s a case study to wrap your mind around—F. Scott Fitzgerald died thinking that his third novel, The Great Gatsby, was a dismal failure and that his body of work would soon be forgotten.

While the novel sold only 20,000 copies during Fitzgerald’s lifetime, The Great Gatsby stood the test of time and is now widely considered Great American Novel canon. Largely seen as a literary masterpiece, the novel has made its way into high school and college curriculum as required reading, inspired multiple critically acclaimed films, and set the stage for creative spin-offs set in the world of Gatsby (such as Daisy, a reimagined take on the novel from the perspective of Daisy Buchanan herself), and has generally inserted itself into American vernacular.

There are other authors and novels with similar stories; for instance, Moby Dick was a critical and commercial flop until it finally gained popularity 30 years after author Herman Melville passed. Sometimes an author is ahead of his or her time, and sometimes chance works in mysterious ways. In Fitzgerald’s case, copies of Gatsby were handed out freely to soldiers during World War II. The renewed interest in the book breathed new life into it, and from that moment on, Gatsby soared.

Today, the nostalgia conjured by the Roaring 20s is in a kind of renaissance. Or maybe, the truth is that a sort of longing for the romanticism of this era never really died. In lower Manhattan, guests can venture into The Gatsby Experience for instance, which is an interactive theatre of sorts equipped with a speakeasy tour and live performance. The Great Gatsby, a new musical, is running off-Broadway, and a general appreciation of not only the classic novel but also the time in which the novel was set is alive and well. Don’t we all want to live in a time where the champagne flows, and life, for a brief moment at least, seemed easy?

Continue reading Madeline's review >

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Classic, 2014

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. There, he has a firsthand view of Gatsby’s lavish West Egg parties - and of his undying love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan.

After meeting and losing Daisy during the war, Gatsby has made himself fabulously wealthy. Now, he believes that his only way to true happiness is to find his way back into Daisy’s life, and he uses Nick to try to reach her. What happens when the characters’ fantasies are confronted with reality makes for a startling conclusion to this iconic masterpiece.

This special audio edition joins the recent film - as well as many other movie, radio, theater, and even video-game adaptations - as a fitting tribute to the cultural significance of Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic, widely regarded as one of the greatest stories ever told.

©1925 Charles Scribner's Sons. Copyright renewed 1953 by Frances Scott Fitzgerald Lanahan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Combining a deeply loved classic like The Great Gatsby with a well-known Hollywood voice like Jake Gyllenhaal’s could create magic or disaster. Could there be competition between the two? Which side would come out stronger? This production strikes a graceful balance, with both big names blending to complement each other. Gyllenhaal’s reserved tone lends polish to Fitzgerald’s text, accentuating the mood of poetry that pervades the novel. His delivery is simultaneously youthful and experienced, aware of the subtleties of the characters and the plot nuances as he infuses them with life. Gyllenhaal controls his performance with style and careful pacing, seemingly keeping as reverent an eye on the novel as Gatsby himself kept on that elusive green light." (AudioFile magazine)

Featured Article: Who's the best? Rediscover the greatest, most notable American writers of all time


To curate a list of famous American writers who are also considered among the best American authors, a few things count: current ratings for their works, their particular time periods in history, critical reception, their prevalence in the 21st century, and yes, the awards they won. Many of these authors are taught in school today. From Hemingway to Harper Lee, these famous American authors are all worthy of enduring recognition—and a fresh listen!

What listeners say about The Great Gatsby

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love this story!

The Great Gatsby is a terrific story, and what a wonderful performance too by Jake.

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BEAUTIFUL

I loved it , written and read so eloquently! The narration by Jake Gyllenhaal was beautiful.

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Great Gatsby

I waited a long time before I heard this classic and from start to finish I throughly enjoyed it. If you haven’t read or heard the audible revision yet I believe it’s worth the quick 4-5 hours.

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Fantastic

Fantastic. Great narration. It is eerie how timeless and current this book feels. Does not feel 100 years old at all.

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Excellent reading of a classic

Jake Gyllenhaal’s reading of the Great Gatsby is top notch! The book is an undeniable classic! Good listen!

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A great American novel, performed beautifully

This is a lush and memorable telling if the much told story of Gatsby, the great American climber and the fate he suffers in the hands of the truly elite.

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Excellent reading of this great story

If you really want to enjoy The Great Gatsby, treat yourself to So we Read on, by Maureen Corrigan. It just might make all the difference; it did for me.

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Was this meant to be a funeral dirge?


Okay , I’m old and need hearing aids, but this performance was so slow and so volumeless that I could not hear it over my Bluetooth hearing aids. It was like going to a funeral.

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Classic rendered new

If you have not encountered this American classic ever, or in years, this is a superb reading of some of the most brilliant prose of the last century. Highly recommended.

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I can see why this is a Classic

I went into this work with fresh eyes. I have never seen a movie adaptation and really had read nothing about the story beforehand. I was in fact, a bit skeptical, if only because of so many other "classics" that to me, fell short.

This story however, was truly remarkable and deserves to have stood the test of time. It's not filled with violence, sex, or any of the other attributes of many modern stories, but it does have a tension between characters throughout that draws you in.

Written at the beginning of what could be called "the century of wealth" for America (which continues into the present), it offers a window into a world of money and privilege. The view presented, however, is one where not all is happiness and roses.

So, if you've never read this book, or wold like to experience a classic you've read but in an audio format (the narrator was excellent), then this work is highly recommended.

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