1925
First Edition
Original Dust Jacket
Presentation Copy
While The Great Gatsby is widely regarded as Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, the original sales were very disappointing in comparison to his earlier bestsellers, This Side of Paradise and The Beautiful and the Damned. Set in Jazz Age New York, it tells the tragic story of self-made millionaire Jay Gatsby, his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan (a young woman whom he loved in his youth), and narrator Nick Carraway, who is gradually drawn into the world of the wealthy as he bears witness and relates a tale of impossible love, dreams, and tragedy. There have been at least 5 film adaptations of The Great Gatsby, and the book has sold 25 million copies worldwide.
This special exhibition at the Folger features rare books from the collection of Stuart and Mimi Rose that present literary, cultural, and historical high points.
