The Great Gatsby

I finished The Great Gatsby on my trip to Florida.

Contrary to what I expected I found it to be a very interesting read.

Part of that may be because I am interested in history and when you look at the backdrop this book shows a number of interesting historical developments. The final conversion of American from a rural to urban/suburban culture. The shifting of political power and populism, a foreshadowing of WWII with the talk of protecting the master race and the lower classes/orders. Of course Fitzgerald wrote the book in 1925 so the Holocaust was not underway yet or the Nazi's in power in Germany, so I am sure he was working off of support for the Eugenics movement here at home.

Part of it may also be just a personal reflection. There have been a few times in my life when I have just wanted to walk away and start over as Joe Schmoe, create a complete new me. Gatsby managed to do that.

Class distinctions, etc. been done to death so I am not going to talk about them. Anyway I really enjoyed the book.