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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)

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What listeners say about The Great Gatsby

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Beautiful novel!

I loved the performance of the book. It brought the book to life. Very well done!

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Great Gatsby

Excellent story with clear audio presenter. Enjoyed the story of elite members of society in America utilizing Gatsby’s own history illustrating the plot.

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Great Plot & Characters

This easy listen is full of great characters, intrigue, and a great plot. The reader’s voice is easy to listen to.

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Such a wonderful book

I Love that Jake Gyllenhaal narrated the book. He did such a great job. It was extremely easy to listen to. I finished this book in a day. I highly recommend

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Just as good the second time around

Nothing I didn’t like is a timeless classic read it years ago just as good the second time around!!


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    3 out of 5 stars

Overrated… won’t be reading or listening to again.

I read this book in an effort to read some of the great "classics" I never took the time to read. To be honest, this book is just... overrated.

The story just kind of seemed dumb to me. You have a man who has overcome so much, and built his self up in a way that is unfathomable to most people. Then with all this wealth he decides to try to win the heart of a woman he lost 5 years ago. This is something I thought would really hold my attention. I love a good love story. However, the woman was married, and she made it clear she wasn't going to leave her husband, I think he should have just let her go at that point.

I don't know, it just didn't really hold my attention. I found myself the last few chapters just waiting for it to be done. I just found it to be boring. Not a lot happens most of the beginning of the book, then there was a bunch of death, and then not a whole lot happens. I won't be reading it again.

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A love story?

I have seen The Great Gatsby classified as a love story, but after reading this I have huge problems with that characterization. I think there was infatuation that became an obsessed goal. Not a stalker type obsession, more an obsession with the idea of someone. Characters are mainly one-dimensional and most are rather cringe-worthy. I realize this is partly a commentary on society at the height of the 1920s and it is interesting to look at this book in a historical setting sandwiched between the 'great' war (WWI) and the stock market crash and ensuing depression. You have the picture here of individuals who are more than a bit reckless (men having survived the war and women having had a bit more freedom for the same reason) and at the same time having more money than they know what to do with. It feels like they careen from hedonism to almost a catatonic trance on a daily basis. So many facades throughout the story. I will admit that I have a difficult time with unlikable characters, and there were a lot of them in this novella. The only two that had any redemptive qualities in my opinion were Gatsby and Nick.

I was not as taken by this book as I hoped I would be. The writing could be quite eloquent and was lovely to let roll around in my head for a while. I think this would have been a really fun book to have read in a literature class. I think there are a lot of thematic elements running through the story and a discussion group would have been great. Maybe that is what I need to appreciate this book more. I think I was just disappointed in so many wooden characters and a lack of character development overall.

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Jake Owns It

I gotta say, there really wasn't much here to celebrate in terms of the story. However, Jake's performance makes this a 10. I wish I could have him read me a bed time story every night. Heck, he could read me the phone book.

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Beautifully written

It makes you care about characters and feel as conflicted as the narrator. Calming and beautifully written.

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Great voice for narration

Really enjoyed this production. A classic story told be Jake Gyllenhaal who I believe has a pleasant narrative voice.

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