One of my goals was to start a Roaring 20s Book Club. My intention is to read a 1920s influenced book a month until December 31, 2019. It’s my personal attempt to welcome in the next 20’s decade in style.
The January selection was “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I invited a bunch of people to read and discuss. It ended up being a trio of Gatsby enthusiasts; Tom, Sara and me. We held our inaugural meeting at Tom’s and even screened the Leo DiCaprio movie version over gin highballs.
I had read “Gatsby” in high school and even watched the Robert Redford film version. Returning to the classic was an interesting re-awakening. I enjoyed the first read for its splashy debauchery. The idea of eccentric rich people hosting grandiose soirees appealed for its grown-up elegance. At that time in my life I was a hopeless romantic. The cynical years hadn’t swept through yet. I was heartbroken when *Spoiler Alert* Gatsby and Daisy didn’t get a happily ever after. And I also remember being browbeat about the God symbolism of the eyeglasses billboard (Catholic school).
This time, from the start, I was mesmerized by Fitzgerald’s writing. His crafting of words conjures up vivid moments. With each word, I see the decadence. I feel the sultry summer. I get intoxicated at the parties. His writing is beautiful to distraction. The story itself is relatable. People still are looking for a person or money to make them happy. Love is more alive in the imagination of romantics then the drudgery of the day to day reality. And the social commentary of economic disparity is timelessly prevalent.
The book club had a thought-provoking conversation. We all saw it through our own lens smudged by time and experience. In my youth, I was wrapped up in the romantic relationship. I didn’t see the actual lives. With age, I saw the people. I understood better the societal pressures for women and the poor. I discerned the lack of depth in the frivolity. The re-read was a powerful experience.
The movie was over-the-top gorgeous. I loved Leo in the iconic role. I think Toby Maguire was a complete miscast.
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
For February, the book club will read “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway. Although I’ve never read it, since I’m reading “The Paris Wife,” I feel I have intimate knowledge of Hem.