Fitzgerald’s *The Great Gatsby* is turning 100, and Cambridge is celebrating with a special collector’s edition. The supplemental offer a deep dive into the novel’s history, featuring illustrations, manuscript pages, and fresh commentary. In particular, the intro by Sarah Churchwell breaks down myths and sheds new light on Fitzgerald’s world. If you’ve ever wanted to truly *see* the layers of Gatsby—its themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream—this is the edition to get. Perfect for classic lit lovers, Fitzgerald fanatics, or anyone ready to step back into the Roaring Twenties. 🎭🍸

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is often referred to as an American masterpiece. On the surface, it can be categorized as a romance tragedy. Self-made millionaire Gatsby reunites with a woman he loved in his youth named Daisy. The book is narrated by Nick Callaway, who recounts the events of his 1922 summer on Long Island. There is scandal, criminal activity, murder, love affairs and a glamorous party. For those unfamiliar, I bet you didn't know this classic had all this going on!

My first introduction to this classic literature novel was in middle school. Looking back, it was probably inappropriate for the average preteen; however, it was required reading in my English class for the gifted and talented students. Shout-out to my fellow Bates Brats! It was my first introduction to New York as a setting and the Roaring Twenties era. Since then, I have read The Great Gatsby three more times. With every re-read, I pick up new details and more themes like morals, love affairs, wealth, power, glamour and greed.

This centennial edition is a different experience with The Great Gatsby because it goes beyond the story in a collector's volume style, complete with social, cultural and historical context. Illustrations include leaves from the manuscript, new material and dust jackets. Alternate passages are shared (all these years and editions later!).

As a copyeditor, I found the chronology of composition very interesting. It briefly details the steps Fitzgerald took to bring The Great Gatsby to publication from June 1922 to April 1925. And here we are 100 years later in 2025 with a fresh outlook. The story itself is about 175 pages; the rest is goodies for lit geeks and professionals.

I recommend The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby to all. Those who enjoy classic literature, read it once before or never read it at all. It is the great American novel bringing to life the American dream in depth. Start the year with this great read!

Happy Early Pub Day and 100th Anniversary! The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby will be available on January 30, 2025.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

What’s Great About Gatsby?

The cover of this title has been newly digitally drawn with thick paint. I don’t know if this is intentional, but my pre-print version only has “The” without the rest of the title. Gatsby is popular enough that perhaps just a mansion with a pool is indeed enough to explain that this is what this book is… There are several illustrations at the back of the book, including a page out of this book’s handwritten manuscript, a photo of Scott and Zelda, a photo of James Rennie as Gatsby on stage, and the like. This Cambridge edition comes with their usual front-matter: a chronology, introduction, history, list of editions, and other information useful to researchers of fiction.
“The Great Gatsby is often called the great American novel.” Why, indeed? “Emblematic of an entire era, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale of illicit desire, grand illusions, and lost dreams is rendered in a lyrical prose that revives a vanished world of glittering parties and vibrant jazz, where money and deceit walk hand in hand.” Are these grand claims factually true? What is “lyrical prose”: poetic and rhythmic elements, or writing with a beat that makes it memorable, including alliteration, and line breaks. I turned to a random page, 29, to check this. I did find alliteration in the first sentence: “I followed him over a low whitewashed railroad fence, and we walked back a hundred yards along the road under Doctor Eckleburg’s persistent stare.” However, the conversation that follows is as empty as in some pop novels, with dull questions like, “How’s business?” Then, a descriptive paragraph appears, and it paints fine details of a woman’s dress, and her manner. The woman is questioned on her morality, as her husband is supposed to “object”, but she argues he is too “dumb” to do so. Then they talk about getting a police dog… None of this is relevant to explaining deceit or how wealth works in America… This must serve as a model for modern pop writers, who mimic this empty chattering style as an example of greatness. But the point of storytelling is to relate an interconnected plot that delivers a story that continually grabs the imagination. Including segments about random stuff that’s not central makes it difficult for a student to keep track of what happened in a section assigned as reading homework. This unmemorable quality is anti-poetic, as poetic elements are designed to help readers memorize verse. Though the descriptions, and curious references in conversations are pretty insightful, so this novel cannot be dismissed without those who puff this work being able to raise examples that are technically “great”.
“…Rich in humor, sharply observant of status and class, the book tells the story of Jay Gatsby’s efforts to keep his faith—in money, in love, in all the promises of America—amid the chaos and conflict of life on Long Island’s Gold Coast during the Roaring Twenties…”
—Pennsylvania Literary Journal, Fall 2024: https://anaphoraliterary.com/journals/plj/plj-excerpts/book-reviews-fall-2024

Many can recall having The Great Gatsby assigned as a high school read. Some loved it while for others it may not have been the right book at the right time.

I have found that I have gotten more from Gatsby each time I read it, first in college and much later as an auditor in an English class. There is much to be gleaned from its pages.

Anyone who would like to round out their understanding of the novel and its author will want to dive into this Cambridge University Press edition. It brings the work to vivid life. Seeing pages from the novel in various iterations reminds the reader of what it means to write, something that can be forgotten with the ease of editing on computers. Readers get a sense of what it was like for Fitzgerald to write and correct his MS.

I also liked the many photos, everything from the Fitzgerald family passport to places and references that were important in Gatsby and more. In addition, there is much to read. Learn about the text’s history and editions, alternative passages and more.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cambridge University Press for this title. All opinions are my own.