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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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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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great performance of great book

what's not to like. Great American novel. Everybody should listen to this. Chilling all did a great job

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Great Narration.

I highly recommend this version of the audible book. Jake does an excellent job. The tone is very appropriate.

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Amazing and must get

Amazingly written and narrated. A must get and add to your library. You will Listen to it few times.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Classic Story, but I expected more from Gyllenhall

Would you listen to The Great Gatsby again? Why?

Yeah, probably.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gatsby -- the unfolding of his mysteries

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Gyllenhall's performance was subpar. I like him as an actor, but his poor inflection made it difficult to follow the story. I found it to be rather monotonous at times, which was frustrating.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

N/A

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Jake Gyllenhaal does Fitzgerald

I listened to The Great Gatsby on a road trip and enjoyed every minute of it

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Masterpiece

The Great Gatsby is elegant, beautiful, and a masterpiece while also being tragically relatable. It a book that can be learned from with characters that are both admirable and deeply flawed. The narration is amazing and brings the tone and story to life.

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Perfect for my purpose

I'm an English teacher and I used this in conjunction with students my reading along with the book. Jake Gyllenhaal's fluidity and performance with the text allowed my students to hear correct pronunciation of difficult words, different voices for the different characters, and the opportunity to practice active reading strategies.

I gave the performance four stars rather than five only because I felt Jake sometimes read parts of the text too slow, too fast, or with little emotion. However, My students and I highly enjoyed listening to this version of The Great Gatsby and I will definitely use it with my classes next year.

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Jake Gyllenhaal nailed it!

Such an amazing story, and F. Scott Fitzgerald describes the scenes and characters so beautifully and complete. I found myself completely absorbed. And Jake Gyllenhaal did an amazing job too!

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Loved this reading

What did you love best about The Great Gatsby?

The actual story.

What did you like best about this story?

No spoilers. Just a great story.

Have you listened to any of Jake Gyllenhaal’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time I've listened to Jake Gyllenhaal - took me a little while to get used to him. At first, I didn't like it and almost stopped listening, but glad I stuck with it. He really warmed up and did an excellent job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

A really solid reading of a classic.

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Jake Gyllenhaal is a great performer

I would listen to anything else he reads and I hope he does more readings.

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