Dear Great Book Guru, I have been invited to a “Great Gatsby Gala.” It has been many years since I read THE GREAT GATSBY. Any suggestions as to how to prepare? P.S. I heard there will be a Gatsby trivia contest and I am eager to shine!  Gatsby Gala Guest

Dear Gatsby Gala Guest, What fun awaits you! First, of course, reread THE GREAT GATSBY. You will be astonished how much you missed your first time. Many believe it to be the greatest of the Great American Novels with its prescient commentary on race, class, and gender. When first published, it was viewed as a crime noir with its violent deaths, femme fatales, and mobster connections. Later it was appreciated for its commentary on the quixotic American dream of redemption.  Then for many years, it was seen as a cautionary tale of the danger of passions pursued. Today many readers admire it for its lyrical prose and profound metaphors. Of course, the setting  with its North Shore venues  plays a huge part in our enjoyment of the novel. Gatsby lives in the nouveau rich Great Neck (West Egg) as opposed to the more genteel, old wealth of Manhasset (East Egg), and the horrific climax takes place in- is it Douglaston, Queens?   This is a book to be read over and over with new insights to be found each time. As Fitzgerald wrote, “so we beat on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly into the past.” Highly recommended!