What makes The Great Gatsby so special? Why has it gained such immense and lasting popularity? This concise, easy-to-read guide will show that - though very much a product of its time - Fitzgerald’s haunting tale of lost love and deferred dreams is a timeless moral fable, and one which taps deeply into the American psyche. Drawing on a wide range of critical opinions about the novel, John Sutherland and Jolyon Connell offer their own incisive and compelling interpretation. This entertaining, accessible guide is not only a must-read for any student of literature, but for any casual reader who wants to understand why The Great Gatsby is seen by many as the American novel.