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Just reading a piece about the release of the re-make of  the latest re-make of"The Great Gatsby." Personally, a large proporation of the film remakes that I've seen rarely matched up to the original. This leads one - me - to wonder why producers/directors/film production companies feel the necessity to update a film that on the whole, was good orginally.

In the way of background information and according to Wikipedia, the story, "narrated by Nicholas "Nick" Carraway, a 30 year old Yale graduate and WWI veteran from the midwest, who takes a job in New York as a bond salesman. He rents a small house on Long Island, in the (fictional) village of West Egg, next door to the lavish mansion of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaiare who holds extravagant parties."

Checking further with IMDB, the first film version dates back to 1926 and starred Warner Baxter as Jay Gatsby and Lois Wilson as Daisy Buchanan. Furthermore, much to my surprise, a stage production opened at the Ambassdor Theater on February 26, 1926, ran for 112 performances and directed by George Cukor.

The next film version in black and white, was made in 1949 starring Alan Ladd and Betty Fields. I always liked Ladd as an actor and although I never saw the film, most likely he did a decent job. The next incarnation in 1974 was the one that I saw and being an admirer/fan of Robert Redford, I thought it was...okay. Didn't particularly care for Mia Farrow as Daisy and thinking back, there was very little chemistry between the two stars.

Last but not least, it appears there was yet another version in 2000 (wasn't aware of this) with Mina Sorvino and one Toby Stephens in the lead roles.

That brings us up to the latest incarnation to be released in May 2013, starring Leonardo di Caprio and Carrie Mulligan. Somehow, di Caprio, at least in my mind, doesn't have that suave, sophisticated personna necessary to play Gatsby. Then again, who knows.

This is all leading up to the question originally posted here, as to the necessity of yet another re-make of the re-make of.... One re-make is acceptable or even two re-makes but five? The point being made here is that script writers should be searching for their own ideas, rather than turning out scripts based on the story lines and scripts created by other script writers.

In as far as the newest and hopefully the last version of this story, I'm going to pass but for people who are intrigued to know what the film is about, here is the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/?ref_=sr_1

Loretta Ellsworth, author of In Search of Mockingbird and In a Heartbeat, dropped by Bildungsroman this morning to talk about her newest book, Unforgettable. We discussed the love of a good book, the love of family, the concept of memory, and The Great Gatsby, among other things. Listen in:

What came first, the main character of Unforgettable or the basic premise? How did the story develop in your mind?

I'd read an article about people who have amazing biographical memories and I wondered how it would be to grow up with one, so the premise came first. I first wrote the story in third person but my main character came across as very stilted, almost autistic, which he isn't supposed to be, so I rewrote it in the first person in order to get into his head and discover his character.

How much research into "perfect memory" and synesthesia did you do before (or while) you wrote the first draft? How did writing or researching this book differ from your previous works?

As with all my books, I do a great deal of research as the book develops. I did a lot of research on synesthesia as it relates to memory and on people who supposedly have 'perfect memories' and found that it doesn't actually exist – no one has been proven to have a perfect memory. I do research before and during my writing – often my stories lead me to do more research. Taconite mining somehow worked its way into the story and I had to do a great deal of research on that as well.

Which of your five senses do you think you use the most? Which do you value the most?

I have a son who has been blind since birth so I think about the sense of sight a great deal – it's always on my mind because he
lives at home and I have to guide him every day, so I depend on my sight for him. I'm so glad he has good hearing because he loves music and I realize how important that sense has been to him, too, and how rich it has made his life.

It sounds like your home is a happy one.

My love for the book The Great Gatsby knows no bounds. You weave allusions to it throughout your story. What inspired you to put F. Scott Fitzgerald on Baxter's radar?

It started out as merely a means to get Baxter and Halle together – an English assignment she could help him with. But as I reread The Great Gatsby, I realized how much Gatsby and Baxter had in common, and in subsequent drafts I made more use of that and used Gatsby as a reflection of Baxter's journey, and perhaps a warning of what could happen.

When Baxter and Halle talk about the character of Jay Gatsby, Halle says he's a scoundrel, but Baxter calls him a victim. Whose point of view most resembles yours?

He's both. Gatsby can be seen as a tragic victim because he's motivated by love, but he uses corrupt methods to achieve his wealth. He makes Daisy into an obsession, an idealistic dream, and he believes that with enough wealth he can control his destiny and buy her back, but it ends up that she isn't really for sale and that she's not deserving of his love. The fact that he never gives up on his dream makes him seem more victim than scoundrel, or perhaps it's because the other characters are so much worse that he seems the lesser evil.

Baxter sometimes feels as if his extraordinary memory is a curse to him, but it can also be a blessing. Did you possess a talent or passion as a teenager that felt like both a blessing and a curse? If so, what was it, and how did you deal with it?

The only talent I had when I was younger was that I was a fast runner. In eighth grade the fastest boy in our class challenged me to a race. I accepted and beat him. I thought it would bring me some respect, but it was just the opposite – the boys hated me for it and the girls thought I was too much of a tomboy. It wasn't until I was older and joined trac

I was recently interviewed at The Book Base. Thanks for reading!

How long have you been a blogger?

I’ve been blogging at Bildungsroman for close to 8 years now.

Approximately, how many books do you read every year?

I average about a book a day, so I read around 300 books a year, more if you count scripts and screenplays.

What were your favourite books as a child?

My favorite books as a child included The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I was also a huge fan of The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin.

What are you reading at the moment?

I recently finished My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher, her inspired follow-up to her wonderful debut novel The Opposite of Invisible. I am about to begin Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald, which I picked up because, like the protagonist, I am a vegetarian and environmentalist (though she is even more “green” than I am!) I am also reading, re-reading and memorizing three scripts as I prepare for projects which are about to go into production: a webseries, a short film, and a world premiere play. (I’m an actress.)

If you had to pick one, what’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months?

To name only one book I’ve read this year as an overall best would be like a parent trying to pick a favorite child and feeling as those she neglected the others. The only way to make it easier is to categorize:

Juvenile fiction, realistic: The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt

Juvenile fiction, fantasy: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Detective mystery meets mythology: A Hundred Words for Hate by Thomas E. Sniegoski

The paranormal meets mythology: Spirits of the Noh by Thomas Randall (The Waking, Book Two)

Historical fiction meets the paranormal: The Secret Journeys of Jack London, Book One: The Wild by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon

Realistic teen fiction: Doggirl by Robin Brande

The end to a series, realistic teen fiction: Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart (the fourth and final Ruby Oliver book)

Non-fiction: Self-Management for Actors by Bonnie Gillespie

Who are your three favourite authors?

Christopher Golden, Thomas E. Sniegoski and Lewis Carroll.

Which book has had the greatest impact on your life?

You pose another difficult question! It would probably be any and all of my favorite childhood books: The Westing Game, The NeverEnding Story, Anne of Green Gables, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Also, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Each reflects a different part of me, as a person and as a writer. Each holds a piece of my heart because I connected to them so strongly, and those connections remain strong to this day.

Which books are you most eagerly anticipating?

The Fallen 3: End of Days by Thomas E. Sniegoski, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark: Emerson Blackwood’s Field Guide to Dangerous Fairies by Christopher Golden and Guillermo del Toro, The Secret Journeys of Jack London: The Sea Wolves by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, The Waking: Winter of Ghosts by Thomas Randall. Also, The Lost Crown: A Novel of Romanov Russia by Sarah Miller, which was released last month and is patiently waiting for me to read it on a day with no interrupt

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By Keith Gandal

Want a quick, but apparently reliable measure of how elitist you are?  Go see the 7-hour production of Gatz, in which all 47,000 words of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby are, in the course of the play, enunciated on stage.  (If you dare and can afford to.)  If you love every minute of it and find time flying by, you’re probably, well, an arts snob; if you find your reaction mixed, your mind drifting in and out, and your body just plain giving out, well, you’re likely more of a populist.

Consider the following small, statistically meaningless, but provocative sample of reviews you instantly encounter on the web: the New York Times, Bloomberg, and Theatremania all give the play rave reviews, while the New York Post and the New York Daily News both give it 2½ stars (out of 4 and 5 respectively).  Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes the play as “work of singular imagination and intelligence.” Jeremy Gerard of Bloomberg calls it “remarkable,” “as powerful a piece of stagecraft as you may ever see.”  David Finkle of Theatremania finds the play “mesmerizing” and declares, “the lengthy production goes by in what seems like a blink of an eye.”  Meanwhile, Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post gives it a mixed review, asserting that the director “has come up with an inspired concept” and that Gatz is “great, but [it] also grates.” “There are the deadly boring stretches. Very long ones.”  She concludes: “It’s as maddeningly tedious as it is brilliant. By the end, my mind was as numb as my butt.”  And Joe Dziemianowicz of the New York Daily News recommends the play, but also calls it a “fanny-numbing readathon.”

In other words, this small sample of reviews breaks down across class lines.  Higher-brow papers or websites are raving, and the lower-brow papers have mixed feelings, including uncomfortable feelings in their behinds.

But is this breakdown really surprising?  A 7-hour production at a cost of $140 seems to demand of its audience members that they have a lot of time and money to spare.  This is at the Public by the way, which was presumably once more public than it is now.  In fact, one thing the play Gatz does quite effectively is to restore Fitzgerald’s now very accessible novel to the inaccessibility, along class lines, that it would have had back in the 1920s.

I want to make clear that I haven’t seen the play and, thus, that my perceptions of its length, its cost, and its reviews are not colored by my having sat through it.  I’m actually quite curious to see it – I’m teaching the novel this term at City College, and I’ve written a recent book that devotes the longest chapter to Fitzgerald’s novel.  Well-meaning colleagues and friends have even suggested I take my class to see the play, given that some reviewers are calling it a major theatrical event, but with regular tickets starting at $140, who c

Holly Cupala tagged me for this bookish meme.

Tell me about the book that has been on your shelf the longest.

All of my childhood books and some of my all-time favorite books, including The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende, are in storage, sadly. Those would be the longest-running (er, standing?) titles were they truly here in my current abode.

Then there are the oldest books, those published decades ago and passed through many hands before I acquired them, such as some of the well-read books related to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Tell me about a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (i.e. a person, a place, a time, etc.)

Every time I read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I hear Nick's voice (as opposed to my own) so clearly in my head, it's as if he's speaking over my shoulder.

Tell me about a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.)

I collect (among other things) different editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll. It's not a huge collection; I have less than twenty volumes written by Carroll or related to Alice. However, I have a separate bookshelf just for these books and other items from Wonderland, like the DVD of my favorite film version of the story*, some mugs, and a couple of journals, one of which was given to me by someone who might be reading this post! Some of the books were given to me too, such as Adventures from the Original Alice in Wonderland published by Wonder Books in 1951 and a collection of selected songs from the 1985 version of Alice in Wonderland. A few years ago, while wandering through a used bookstore, I was extremely happy to find a copy of The Other Alice: The Story of Alice Liddell and Alice in Wonderland by Christina Bjork, illustrated by Inga-Karin Eriksson and translated by Joan Sandin, a biography I love which had gone out-of-print.

* Go to my big ol' post about Alice and scroll down to the section entitled Musicalice. I still need to buy the soundtrack, which was released by Screen Archives Entertainment a few years ago.

... and I should admit to owning two copies of the DVD. One was a gift. The other I found at a used music and movie shop a year later and, since it cost only five dollars and had a different cover, I bought it in hopes that it was better quality than the first version and/or had other features. It isn't and it doesn't, but that's okay!

Back to the bookshelves: I really prize my Golden books. Not Golden Books - though those are wonderful as well - but books written by Christopher Golden. I have some very special editions. See the last question and answer on this meme for more about that collection.

Tell me about the most recent addition to your shelves.

If you count my library shelves, then my most recent additions would be the ten books I checked out today, which include Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi, a volume of sheet music (I'm making copies tomorrow), and three graphic novels published by Minx (which I still can't believe they cancelled less than a year and a half after the imprint was launched!)

Tell me about a book that has been with you to the most places.

Most books just go from the store to my home, unless they've traveled with me on a plane, like I'd Tell You I'd Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter. Though I don't travel often, every time I do, I bring so many books with me that they outweight the clothes I've packed. I'm serious. I pack really lightly, clothes- and stuff-wise, but since I read so quickly, I have to pack at least one book per day I'm going to be gone or I go nuts.

Tell me about a bonus book that doesn't fit any of the above questions.

I have a separate bookshelf just for books by Christopher Golden. Thomas Sniegoski is there, too, actually, as I segue on the top shelf from his solo works to those co-written with Golden, then the rest is silence the remaining shelves are filled with Golden's other works. Look up 'prolific' in the dictionary and you'll see his picture. He's written over 100 solo works, not to mention all of his collaborative projects. I aspire to his productivity and publishing history! Find out where to start: Reading Christopher Golden.

Looking for the perfect books to give to your loved ones? Thinking about expanding your own personal library? Consider a few things before you go shopping:

* Give what you like. If you really enjoyed a certain book, get a few copies and give them to your best friends, then have fun discussing it with them. Have your own little book club! (Take some tips on how to organize a book group from readergirlz, where you'll also find plenty of recommended reads.)

* Get what you like. There's no shame in stocking your library with light, fun reads as well as longer, more serious tales.

* Bulk up on the classics. I'm a huge fan of The Great Gatsby and the Anne of Green Gables series. If you liked the romance in Twilight, get Wuthering Heights; if you liked the vampires, get Dracula.

* Make mix tapes. Create playlists for books, then burn them onto CDs and give them away with the books. If you need some ideas, check out my book-related playlists.

* Treat yourself to a little something! Get that book you've had your eye on for the past few months. If you like writing, buy or make yourself a journal and a nice set of writing pens. Remember: Recyclable and refillable pens and pencils are more cost-effective and better for the environment!

I've written a bunch of booklists with holiday book shopping in mind, including an article for SparkLife which focused on selections for teens. Categories and titles within that piece include:

If you're going to buy just one . . .

For horror fans: Soulless by Christopher Golden

For realistic drama: A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian.

If you're looking for a specific genre . . .

(Click links for specific book reviews or related booklists at Bildungsroman. You will see that I have first listed an author's name, then a title. This is because each author has multiple books I would recommend, either within that category or in general.)

Realistic drama with a touch of romance: Books by Sarah Dessen (The Truth About Forever), Deb Caletti (The Nature of Jade), Elizabeth Scott (Bloom)

Contemporary drama with teen male protagonists: Books by John Green (Looking for Alaska), Markus Zusak (I am the Messenger) - and more!

Contemporary drama with teen female protagonists: E. Lockhart (The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks), Catherine Clark (The Alison Rules), Rachel Cohn (Gingerbread), Christopher Golden (Body Bags, first in the Body of Evidence series)

Intense, edgy drama: Sara Zarr (Sweethearts), Rachel Cohn (You Know Where to Find Me), Laura Kasischke (Feathered), Elizabeth Scott (Living Dead Girl)

Sci-fi, fantasy, or horror: Christopher Golden (Prowlers, first in a quartet), Tom Sniegoski (A Kiss Before the Apocalypse, first in a series), Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty, first in a trilogy), Scott Westerfeld (Peeps), Justine Larbalestier (How to Ditch Your Fairy) - and more - and some more!

Poetry and verse novels: Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Lisa Ann Sandell (Song of the Sparrow), and Stephanie Hemphill (Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath) - and more!

Non-fiction gift books: Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman by Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden and Stephen R. Bissette, Things That Make Us [Sic] by Martha Brockenbrough

Read the entire post at SparkLife!

For even more ideas for various age groups (ranging from babies and toddlers to adults) and genres, consult my booklists, including:

If Then for Elementary School
If Then for Middle School
If Then for High School
- These lists are set up like so: If you like that book, then you'll also like this book!

Tough Issues for Teens
- One of my longest and most often hit booklists.

Suggested Sets
- Created with gift-giving in mind!

Also browse through my book reviews (I have a few hundred posted) and my best of the month and best of the year booklists.

I will be posting my complete and official Best Books of 2008 booklist here at Bildungsroman on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Here's a teaser to tide you over until then!

I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confused. They were careless people, Tom and Daisy -- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.

The Great Gatsby is a classic tale of lost love, old money vs. new money, and a green light. Set in 1922 and published on April 10th, 1925, this novel wholly captures the era Fitzgerald called "The Jazz Age" - the time between World War I and the Roaring Twenties.

With its straightforward depiction of disturbing relationships, brilliant narration, and beautiful language, The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels of all time. I hope that this post will encourage you to pick up the book, whether or not you've read it before, and see it with a fresh set of eyes.

Why I Think It's Great

I was a junior in high school when I first read The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing flowed, creating a beautifully tainted stream in which troubled characters tried desperately to keep their heads above water. I was most captivated by Nick Carroway, the character who narrated the story while everyone (Nick included) stumbled through fabulous parties and fierce parries, both physical and verbal. I loved the book so much that I waited years before I read another Fitzgerald book. I didn't want to hold it up to Gatsby, to compare the two books outright.

I do, however, easily see Gatsby in a lot of other stories. I created a Gatsby category at my blog so I could tag posts whenever I mentioned Nick, green lights, or tragedies in pools.

The novel is populated by imperfect characters who are fractured, careless, and heartbroken. Daisy, Tom, Gatsby - they're all broken, selfish, and greedy to different degrees. There are no heroes here. No one is blameless. Daisy wants her daughter to be a perfect little fool, and indeed, that's what Daisy herself is, if you think about it. Meanwhile, she calls her husband a hulking brute, and that's Tom, with his utter lack of shame. Gatsby wanted so much to impress and attract Daisy that he created a whole new persona. He moved so that he could be near her, yet he was reluctant to approach her.

Consider the tragic outcomes of their not-so-secret relationships. Some characters are victims of accidents, unexpected or otherwise, but perhaps, even then, some would argue that they are victims of their own making. The book makes it clear that money can't buy happiness, and that dishonest actions such as lying, cheating, and misleading others can have horrible consequences.

Nick, one of my favorite narrators ever, gets caught up in all of the mess, yet is removed from it just enough to guide readers through it. I don't feel as though he's an unreliable narrator, and I don't think he lied about anything that happened. I believe that he relayed his own thoughts and experiences. He observed what he did and shared what he saw and heard, revealing to readers the events of the story. He, like everyone else, is admittedly fallible, but he considers himself to be pretty truthful. I love this line:

Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known. - Nick, Chapter 3

Great Quotes

Last year, I opened The Great Gatsby to look up one particular line of dialogue, and I ended up reading the entire novel again in one sitting.

In addition to those I've already sprinkled throughout this piece, here are some of my favorite quotes from the book.

There was so much to read, for one thing . . . - Chapter 1

It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again. - Chapter 1

"It takes two to make an accident." - Jordan, Chapter 3

"Well, suppose we take a plunge in the swimming-pool? I haven't made use of it all summer." - Gatsby, Chapter 5

From Book to Film

When we studied The Great Gatsby, my English teacher informed us that we'd watch the film after we finished the book and our subsequent essays and tests. When the promised day came, she popped in the VHS tape of the 1974 film. The first few scenes played out on the small television tucked in the upper corner of the classroom - and then my teacher hit the fast forward button on the remote. "I don't like Robert Redford," she said by way of explanation as we watched the first party at Gatsby's house zip by us on the screen. Shortly thereafter, she stopped the tape, turned the lights back on, and moved right along onto something else.

I apologize on her behalf: I'm sorry, Robert Redford. I will watch your performance as Nick someday, Sam Waterson. I have every intent to watch the 1926 silent film and the 1949 version as well.

"No . . . I just remembered that to-day's my birthday." - Nick, Chapter 7

Earlier this month, I quietly celebrated my birthday. I received a coupon entitling me to a discount off of a DVD purchase, and I - gasp! - used it. Yes, I actually bought something. What did I select as my treat? The 2000 A&E version of The Great Gatsby, which I had watched and enjoyed when it first aired. Paul Rudd was simply brilliant as Nick. I already thought well of him as an actor, so to see him bring one of my favorite characters to life was absolutely fantastic.

Sounding Off: What Others Had to Say About The Great Gatsby

In preparation for this piece, I posted a notice at my blog asking for opinions on Gatsby. The responses I received were varied, and I'll share them all now, even the comments from a friend who worried I'd be upset after I learned of her dislike for the book. She has nothing to fear; I understand that not everyone loves the book as much as I do. That was the point of this post: to give other readers the opportunity to express what they did or didn't like about the book. Educators, students, authors, bloggers, and librarians all weighed in.

I was fortunate when it came to reading Gatsby - it wasn't disemboweled through analyzing. I got to do an independent study my senior year - I chose the book - I chose the topic to write about - I sat through no lectures - and I finally really, truly figured out symbolism. It's made all the difference.

- Jackie, librarian

I love referencing Gatsby, which I've read about a dozen times and taught to sophomores in spring 2007. Here is my favorite analogy: Elvis Presley was a lot like Gatsby - desperately seeking the approval of the Memphis old money types, who loved to come to his parties and take his presents of cars and jewels and whatever, but who never fully accepted him as one of their own. He was new money, and a rock-n-roller, and though they enjoyed the spoils of his wealth, they still looked at him with disdain.

- Lara M. Zeises, author and teacher

I love Gatsby. I fell in love with this book, and with Fitzgerald, when I was 16. My mother than read it and discovered an authentic portrait of [Fitzgerald] in the back of an antique shop, covered with dust. She bought it, had it restored, and it hangs in my parents' living room. He was a Princeton student when it was painted. He was gorgeous.

- Beth Kephart, author

I liked Gatsby when I read it in high school, but I loved it when I went back and read it as an adult. I think a certain amount of life experience deepens the meaning in a lot of ways.

Incidentally, an English teacher friend of mine who has taught the book several times, was convinced that Coldplay's song "Yellow" was about Gatsby because of the lyrics and the symbolism of the color yellow in the book. I've since heard that the song was inspired by the phone book, but when I went to see Coldplay in concert and they got to that part of the beginning of the song where the electric guitar kicks in all loud and wailing, the stage was flooded with green light, which I think gives my friend's theory some credence.

- Ali

Gatsby stands as my favorite American novel of all time. To me, it's forever contemporary even though it was written in the 20's. As a writer, I appreciate its crafting - so many wonderful stories abound about F. Scott's editor Maxwell Perkins and all the revisions he made Fitzgerald do. It shows. Tightly crafted. Every word a pleasure. Tiny moments even, like when Nick describes Daisy's "wedding cake" of a ceiling and then in the next chapter juxtaposes Myrtle living in "one slice" of a row of apartments.

Nick is the ultimate unreliable narrator. Tells us he's "the most honest person he knows" and then proceeds to watch and participate in all the down and dirty that comes with unbridled wealth. Gatsby wants Daisy so much he's willing to morally bankrupt himself. [Recently I read] an editorial by Charles Krauthammer, referring to the possiblity that Obama (who I like, by the way) might really be just a mysterious Gatsby - the man no one truly knows but everyone wants to, the man who goes to his own parties but never really participates.

I could happily go on and on. It is a miracle of a book. Those last lines, "And so we beat on..." bring tears to my eyes each and every darn time.

- Joy Preble, author

It's been ages since I've read it, but I remember reading The Great Gatsby for the first time as a very intense experience. I disliked every character in that book passionately, especially Daisy, which actually turned out to be one of my favourite things about it. I love it when fiction provokes and Gatsby certainly does that. And the writing is incredible, of course.

Sometimes I'd hate [Nick], and then I'd turn the page and [think], "Oh, Nick, I like you." And then I'd turn the page... It just went up and down. I think a lot of that has to do with the other characters, actually, and my dislike for them. I often [thought], "Just walk away from all of this, Nick, before it's too late." Ultimately, though, I can't imagine a better narrator, and even when I didn't like him, I wanted him to keep telling the story.

I really need to pick it up again, and see what I take from it the second time around...

- Courtney Summers, author

I read The Great Gatsby about once a year. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books ever written. I think [Nick]'s the most likable unreliable narrators ever.

- A.S. King, author

I spent a weekend this summer in Newport exploring the mansions where the film version was shot, and then watched the movie [1972 version] the following night. Hubby fell asleep. I got depressed.

- Mitali Perkins, author

Required Reading: Why Gatsby?

I could go on and on about the symbolism in the story, or talk how and why this book is still taught in English classrooms across the country and around the world, but I'd rather let the novel speak for itself and let you, the reader, think of it what you will.

Tell me: Why do you think Gatsby should be or is required reading? Please leave a comment below.


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This article was also posted at GuysLitWire. Learn more about GuysLitWire. Visit the GuysLitWire blog.

View all Bildungsroman posts related to GuysLitWire.

View all Bildungsroman posts related to The Great Gatsby and/or F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The following was cross-posted at the GuysLitWire blog.

As Simple as Snow is a complex, haunting mystery written by Gregory Galloway. Since its publication in 2005, I have recommended it to a countless number of friends, customers, and literary groups. I've mentioned it many times here at the Bildungsroman blog, included it in one round of Wicked Cool Overlooked Books, and made it a readergirlz recommended read.

I wanted to bring this book to your attention again now, especially if you have read or plan to read Paper Towns by John Green. Paper Towns won't be available in bookstores until October, but ARCs are already making the rounds. Having enjoyed both books, I'm anxious to discuss them with other readers. The writing styles differ, as do the characters, but there are obvious parallels between the two.

Let's drift back into the Snow now. What is it about this story that keeps me talking about it three years after its release? Perhaps it is the way it ends. Perhaps it is the way it begins. (See below for the trailer, in which you can hear the opening pages.) Perhaps it's Anna herself, the charismatic, creative girl at the heart of the story, whose introduction is shocking and memorable and whose disappearance shortly thereafter may be described in the same way. Perhaps it is the codes, the clues, or the numbers. It may even be the mix tapes. All of these things factor into my adoration of this book, which further benefits from great plotting and pacing. Galloway infuses tension in every line and every step.

I have always enjoyed well-written stories about those who are changed by the presence of others - those unknowing, almost unwilling protagonists who tell readers about a person they knew, be it someone they loved, lost, or wish had (or hadn't) known. Consider Nick in The Great Gatsby, one of my all-time favorite books. (Note: I'd love to revisit The Great Gatsby with other readers. I'm planning to discuss it in my GuysLitWire post for September. If you're interested, please click here and leave a comment below that particular post.) Thanks to Galloway's intriguing writing, As Simple as Snow has a narrator who will draw you in, just as Anna drew him in, but his name is unknown. You will get to know him quickly, and you will grow to care about him, Anna, and other residents of their town.

The video trailer utilizes absolutely perfect imagery as the narrator reads the opening pages of the book. Watch it at the website or YouTube and I'll bet you want to run out and get the book immediately -- as you should.

Something else to note: Though the main characters are teenagers, this book is not categorized as teen fiction. It is typically shelved in the mystery section of bookstores, though those without genre breakouts may place it in general fiction/literature. Has this helped or hurt the book's sales or its reach? I do not know its sales figures, but I do think it could have been cross-marketed and published in YA as well. I have no idea how many people have read it, but I think that more people should. If you read this post, I certainly hope that you will give it a try.

...and after you read As Simple as Snow, please read Paper Towns, and then we'll talk.

I don't want to give too much of Snow away here. For additional hints and thoughts, read my full review of As Simple as Snow.

By Kirsty OUP-UK

I am an avid Radio Four fan. If I don’t start my day listening to Today then, quite frankly, I feel that something is amiss. And weekend mornings without Saturday Live with Fi Glover and their resident poet, or the Archers omnibus edition on a Sunday, makes for the perfect soundtrack to eat breakfast too. This month the station celebrates its 40th birthday, and to celebrate we are publishing Life on Air: A History of Radio Four by David Hendy, Reader in Media and Communication at the University of Westminster, and former producer of current affairs programmes on Radio Four. Here, he takes a brief look at what he regards the milestone moments in the station’s history. (more…)

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