Simple, Beautiful, and Exquisitely Textured

I am a ravenous reader. I consume books (audio, electronic, and paper) by the pound and byte. I RARELY go back and reread a novel I've read before. It just seems a waste of time, a waste of an opportunity for another book, another story. The Great Gatsby, however, is one of those handful of books, those rare literary jewels, where this rule of thumb is consistently bent and re-broken. For readers of good literature, this novel is like scripture. IT is something you read to enjoy the page, the paragraphs, the sentences, the words. It draws you back. It haunts future books you read. It invades you.

For American Literature, The Great Gatsby stands with 'Moby-Dick' and 'Huckleberry Finn' as a monument of not just literature but the uniquely American experience. It captures the excess, the energy, and the decadence of the 'Lost Generation'. Other Fitzgerald books are amazing, but Gatsby is one of those novels that seems to have surprised everyone, even Fitzgerald.

Finding the right narrator for any book is an art form (often misunderstood, almost always ignored). Certain books require a certain type of reader. Gyllenhaal was an inspired pick for the Great Gatsby. He has the range to subtly capture the different characters, but the charisma and the energy to embody the dialogue of Gatsby and the easygoing narrator Nick.

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Revisit an Old Friend

Fitzgerald's classic written in simple prose tells the story of the upper crust's frivolity from the point of view of an outsider looking in. You relive the pretense, wastefulness, desire to fit in and aching loneliness lurking within all.

Gyllenhaal embodies Nick so well, you see him as the mild wallflower character instead of the handsome, charming actor. Well read.

For $5 and 2.5 hours of time (on 2X speed) this is a great way to revisit a classic or prep for the movie.

72 people found this helpful

'Those illusions that give such color to the world

It's possible that the greatest common factor among audible listeners (besides that we all love books) is this statement: "I think we had to read that in high school...and I didn't like it." Seems like there are the *under-threat* readers of The Great Gatsby, and the ones that named the first pet they owned as an adult Daisy or Gatsby. With my basset hound Zeb looking on, I did finally read this as an adult, then made room on that shelf next to Huck Finn, Hester Prynne, Tom Joad, Ahab, Atticus (and Poe's Raven).

You couldn't have a Gatsby today because so much of our response to literature is based on our bias, beliefs, knowledge, and experience. Or at least not without an understanding of the incredible and tumultuous time in history, the Jazz Age, that Gatsby occupied. [Today--Jimmy Gatz would buy his status/identity--get a stylist and a promoter; instagram photos with celebs at his lavish parties, pay for celebrity buddies, show off his crib and million $ cars on TV, engineer the release of a sex tape, get a reality show, and finally win his love's heart with a 10 carat engagement ring. Daisy, famous for nothing, would be tripping over her 6 1/2" red-soled heels to get to him; she would then have a very public dirty divorce from Tom that would play out in all of the celebrity gossip rags-including plenty of selfies and pictures of his numerous mistresses, then maybe onto a stint on DWTS. When Gatsby finally realizes that Daisy is as shallow as the pool he is floating in, and--*of course you CAN'T repeat the past*--he would drown his crumbling dreams in booze, alcohol, and reckless behaviors, thumb his nose at the legal system, lose his money and fans, go through rehab several times...]
At today's pace, Gatsby would just be The Really Really Good Gatsby; the story would seem minimally inventive and somewhat trivial. But Gatsby in Fitzgerald's masterly hands is timeless.

If, from your previous HS experience, you doubt that this is one of the greatest American novels, you may be surprised by the broader insightfulness you've earned since those days. Fitzgerald lived both sides of the generation he judged. Like the very best authors, his stories pour out from his mind with an honesty and authenticity that shine with a superior genius, tempered with absolute artistic control of their craft. This is one of the few books that has defined my reading experience.

The narration is such a big factor with this version. I doubt there is anyone that could have given a more inspired reading than Gyllenhaal; he was amazing not only when he was in character, but he impressed me so much with his reading of the body of the story, as if he felt a reverence for Fitzgerald's words.

"That's the whole burden of this novel--the loss of those illusions that give such color to the world so that you don't care whether things are true or false as long as they partake of the magical glory." - - F.S. Fitzgerald on The Great Gatsby

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Bracing myself for the negative votes

There's good news and bad news.
First the good news: As expected, Fitzgerald writes beautifully and has clearly communicated the decadent and dissolute atmosphere of the time and people of whom he writes.

The bad news: I just didn't like any of the people of whom he writes. Reviewer Melinda has cheerfully offered a 21st century version of Gatsby, and I totally agree with her "then vs now" comparison. Fitzgerald's characters have the depth of the Kardashians and the moral compass of Lindsey Lohan. Gatsby himself is little more than a celebrity worshipping groupie trying to sell himself as one of the beautiful people in his effort to make his delusional fantasy of love and riches with Daisy come true. I found nothing authentic or admirable about any of the supposed loves, as every one of them is self-serving at the core. The single honorable act was Gatsby trying to protect Daisy, but even that reveals a basic contempt for another person's life. Nothing "Great" in that.

I know this is a classic. I acknowledge Fitzgerald's use of words. As a reflection of the "lost generation" of which he was a key member, this is a literary reality show. I just didn't enjoy the show very much.

62 people found this helpful

Thought It Might Sober Me Up to Listen to Gatsby

I more or less enjoyed reading Gatsby back in high school. Reading it now as an adult, it’s easy to see why the book is considered such a classic. It’s a critique of the American Dream – that you can become whatever you want to be. It’s a story of the disenfranchised taking a shot, and being put down for it. It has a memorable cast of characters – most of them loathsome (Tom Buchanan most of all – he’s a raging knot of contradictions, and a great foil for Gatsby). There’s some intense social commentary – part of what we loathe so much about Tom is his classism and racism. The former I think has probably been easy for Americans to loathe for a long time; the latter is easy for us to loathe today, but keep in mind this book was written in the 20s, a good 40 years before the Civil Rights movement. (You go, Fitzgerald!) Also, and this is emphasized in the audio format – it’s a very short, economic book, and at under 5 hours, packs a pretty mean punch.

Some things that I didn’t appreciate so much as a 14 or 17 year-old which I found fascinating as an adult: that the whole story is set during Prohibition, and what a bizarre and broken era that was. There was so much booze flowing, so much partying, so much philandering…it’s ridiculous to me that the United States thought it would be moral to outlaw alcohol. I was also surprised by how funny it was when it wasn’t such a downer – particularly at Gatsby’s parties. There’s a scene where we find a man sitting in the library of Gatsby’s house and the stranger says: “I’ve been drunk for about a week now and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.” That line just tickles me in so many ways, and I enjoyed discovering Fitzgerald’s sense of humor this time out.

Jake Gyllenhaal gives a very solid narration as Nick Carraway, our portal into Gatsby’s world, who proclaims he’s “the only honest man he’s ever met.” Gyllenhaal’s performance isn’t a flashy one, and I think that’s a wise choice on his part – it matches the understated power of the book, and let’s Fitzgerald’s prose carry the story. He’s received a lot of praise for his reading of this novel, and it’s well-deserved.

The Great Gatsby continues to be a serious book with a lot on it’s mind, and was a treat to revisit.

(Originally published at the AudioBookaneers)

40 people found this helpful

Gyllenhaal is an incredible narrator

Where does The Great Gatsby rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This has to be one of my top ten favorites - no one can deny that this is one of the greatest American novels ever written.
There's a reason we all have to read it in high school, although lamentably we're mostly too young to understand it very meaningfully at that age.

What did you like best about this story?

Impossible to say - the myriad interpretations offered by various symbols; the forgiving and compassionate way human folly, hypocrisy, and unthinking offhand cruelty are portrayed throughout the book; the equanimity of the narrator; the rich detail of the descriptions of wasteful yet magical opulence; the heartbreaking, love-soaked idealism of Gatsby juxtaposed with the completely amoral and brutal source of the income with which he intended to pursue Daisy; ok so this is already too long and you didn't read it.
My review is really about supposed to be about Jake Gyllenhaal.

What does Jake Gyllenhaal bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

In short, his narration allowed me to fall in love with the characters.

Jake Gyllenhaal lends a quality to Nick's telling of the story that provides insight into varied aspects of the book - things I would not have understood quite as richly as a female reader with only a page in front of me.

He brings phrases such as "old sport" to life without the cartoonish and annoying cadence my brain would have imposed on them.

His voice is perfect for this. He's at just the right age to play Nick, whose point of view is so essential, and he perfectly portrays Nick's character as earnest, thoughtful, self-aware, unblinkingly critical, and yet still compassionate.
Gyllenhaal also has a more than impressive vocal range to bring the various other characters vividly to life. His portrayal of female characters is notably nuanced.

I'll be listening to anything and everything else he chooses to read.

Any additional comments?

Jake, please keep reading stuff so I can listen to it!

31 people found this helpful

Fabulous narration of The Great Gatsby!

The Great Gatsby, one of the most frequently read books in our culture, has been given wonderful new life through the superb narration of Jake Gyllenhaal. Here is the American classic, giving a vivid insight into one of the most Intriguing eras of our history, the "Roaring Twenties." Fitzgerald's story of the shift in morals and mindset describes the short decade in which flappers, gin, new money and maybe even gangsters illustrated a certain freedom, and definitely a now-stereotyped image of the boom times following WWI.

Nick Carroway, a young man from the Midwest who has settled in the east, tells the story from his vantage point, that of someone drawn into the tumultuous times by the accident of being related to Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is unhappily married to Tom, but the object of such devotion to Jay Gatsby, who dated her in an earlier time but cannot let go of her memory, that he has reinvented himself as a wealthy man in the hope of someday reconnecting with Daisy. Among other things, this book tells the story of what happens when dreams change to cold reality. Because Jay and Daisy do find each other, through Nick Carroway. But only tragedy ensues, which is really the bulk of the entire amazing book.

There is so much one can say about this novel, from the standpoint of symbols and motifs (such as the famous old billboard with the eyeglasses of TJ Eckleburg, who may represent the fading society that is passing, or maybe the eye of God looking down upon an increasingly godless society), or the story of tragic romance, or, as a prescient commentary on that passionate era.

Although most of us read this in school at some point, it is now interesting to revisit it in the aftermath of the great "Dot.com" era, which was followed by an economic downturn, just as the Great Depression succeeded the "Roaring Twenties". I found myself thinking that this is truly a book for our times in many ways, almost a true reminder that history does repeat. If somehow anyone out there missed reading this book as a literature assignment, or even if you have read it dozens of times, you will find Gyllenhaal's narration of it a rare treat! Highly recommend!

29 people found this helpful

I LIKE YOUR DRESS

I AM SLOW THINKING
I am sorry, but if this is F. Scott's crowning work, I will pass on all Fitzgerald. Yes, the writing is descriptively beautiful, I will give you that and for many literary types that is of utmost importance. As a simpleton, I need a plot, characters and if you can't give me that how about some sex and violence. Some of that may have came later, but I only lasted two hours. Glad I only wasted 5 dolla on this. Tastes differ, as is obvious by the reviews.

I AM PARALYZED WITH HAPPINESS

22 people found this helpful

Impressed with Jake's reading

Where does The Great Gatsby rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best. I've listened to it twice now, the older version when I was re-reading it before going to see the movie and immediately after seeing the movie because I found the critical reception upseting. I thought for a movie trying to remake The Great Gatsby the movie was pretty dead on. I know it was Lermany (like my new word) but of course it was. With a story as brash as The Great Gatsby, Lerman needed to be over the top and I think that Fitzgerald would have been pleased. But, I digress. I thought Gyllenhaal's reading was very well done -- understated, not too emotional, but easy to follow.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gatsby. How can it not be Gatsby?

What does Jake Gyllenhaal bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The ability to listen to the book in the garden, in the car... everything that a good audio book can give you, this gave me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, (SPOILER ALERT) the funeral and that no one showed up.

Any additional comments?

Such a classic in American literature. If you haven't read or listened to this since your high school days, you really should. You will have a much better perspective now than you did in high school, well, at least I did.

18 people found this helpful

This May Be Heresy, But It Didn't Hook Me.

I must say that I gave tried to give this audiobook a fair chance that I didn't do to the book when it was required reading in Mrs. Hobbs 11th grade English class 20 years ago. Jake Gyllenhaal was a very pleasant surprise as I thought him narrating a classic was more of a gimmick than anything. But he was extremely good with varying his tone, inflections, and giving life to the story that just didn't resonate with my interests. So, that is why my people may feel that I am off of my rocker for not liking the story, The Great Gatsby. But the storyline and writing style did not pull me in like many of my favorite books in the mystery, thriller, and business genres.

The mastery of literary devices that make F. Scott Fitzgerald an icon and The Great Gatsby an American classic are lost on me. I have conditioned myself to enjoy the drama of Grisham and Baldacci, the thrill of Patterson and Ludlum, and the wit of Fey and Halpern.

I don't think it was a waste of a credit by any means. It was well worth trying out this classic given it was not a very long audiobook. But be warned, if you didn't enjoy The Great Gatsby when it was required reading in high school, you may not fall head over heels with this rendition. However, I am glad that I listened to it so I can speak with intelligence and authority when I critique Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio when the movie is released later this spring.

17 people found this helpful