F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby brilliantly captures the disillusion of a society obsessed with wealth and status. Young, handsome and fabulously rich, Jay Gatsby appears to have it all, yet he yearns for the one thing that will always be out of his reach, the absence of which renders his life of glittering parties and bright young things ultimately hollow. Gatsby's tragic pursuit of his dream is often cited as the Great American Novel.
With a film adaptation directed by Baz Luhrmann set for release in late 2012, this is the time to read this wonderful book. It is Fitzgerald's lovely writing and his thoughtful study of an era and some of the characters typical of it that really captured me. - Madeleine.