The Great Gatsby

The Classic Jazz Age Novel—Original Annotated Historical and Literary Edition

This annotated edition of The Great Gatsby invites readers into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unforgettable world of longing, reinvention, wealth, and the American Dream. During the summer of 1922, young Midwesterner Nick Carraway moves to Long Island and is drawn into the dazzling world of his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, a man devoted to a dream that seems almost within reach. Through Nick’s eyes, Fitzgerald reveals the loneliness, prejudice, privilege, and moral uncertainty beneath the glittering surface of the Jazz Age.

More than 220 original annotations by T. S. Causley brings Fitzgerald’s world into sharper focus. They explore the historical forces beneath the glamour of the Jazz Age, from Prohibition and postwar prosperity to shifting ideas about class, race, and social identity. The notes also illuminate the music, customs, places, and material details familiar to Fitzgerald’s first readers while revealing how his imagery, symbolism, and narrative craft deepen the novel’s treatment of longing, reinvention, memory, and the American Dream.

Designed for first-time readers and longtime admirers, this edition preserves Fitzgerald’s complete 1925 text while providing the context needed to appreciate its historical world, literary craftsmanship, and enduring appeal.

Includes: Editorial Introduction by T. S. Causley • More Than 220 Original Annotations • Historical and Literary Commentary • Curated Further Reading