The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F Scott

Written in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be one of the author’s greatest works. Set in New York City and Long Island during the Roaring Twenties, the focus of the story is (of course) its title character, Jay Gatsby, and his unswerving desire to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. However, Nick Carraway, who happens to be both Gatsby’s neighbor and Daisy’s cousin, narrates Gatsby's journey from poverty to wealth, into the arms of his beloved, and eventually to death.

The Great Gatsby is undoubtedly one of the greatest American literary documents of the 1920s, the decade for which Fitzgerald himself coined the term “Jazz Age.” However, in writing the book, Fitzgerald was in fact holding up a mirror to the society of which he was a part. In true Modernist fashion, The Great Gatsby addresses the social issues of the period — namely materialism and displaced spirituality — that ultimately led the decline of the era.

The novel’s initial sales situation was less than impressive; fewer than 25,000 copies were sold by Fitzgerald’s death in 1940. But The Great Gatsby gained great popularity during WWII as the critical mainstream began to embrace the author’s work. The Armed Services Editions circulated 150,000 copies to troops alone. Today, The Great Gatsby has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, sells an additional 500,000 copies annually, and is Scribner's most popular title. Ranked #2 on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century, the novel is also listed on their Top 100 Novels as well as The Observer’s All-Time 100 Best Novels and Time Magazine’s 100 Best Modern Novels.

The Great Gatsby has resulted in a number of adaptations, including Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 major motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, and Joel Edgerton.

First Edition Identification

Charles Scribner’s Sons first published The Great Gatsby in April of 1925. A highly valued collectible, first editions can be identified by a number of points of issue, including a typo on the back of the dust jacket that spells “jay Gatsby” with a lowercase “j,” over which a correction has been made (by hand) in ink or with a stamp. Other points specific to the first edition include “chatter” on page 60, line 16; “northern” on page 119, line 22; “sick in tired” on page 205, lines 9-10; and “Union Street Station” on page 211, lines 7-8.

The cover of the first edition of The Great Gatsby is among the most celebrated in American literature. Artist Francis Cugat’s design depicts disembodied eyes and a mouth over a blue skyline with images of naked women reflected in the irises. It has been said that Fitzgerald so loved the art (which was completed before the book), that he rewrote parts of the book to better incorporate it.

With its original dust jacket, the rare first edition of The Great Gatsby has sold for between $100,000 and $150,000. Not too shabby — considering that same book sold for just $2 in 1925.

Other Collectible or Notable Editions

Chatto and Windus published the first UK edition of The Great Gatsby in 1926. With its original dust jacket, the UK edition has sold for between $12,500 and $25,000.

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The Great Gatsby.

The Great Gatsby.

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

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Used
Published
1925
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Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.
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THE GREAT GATSBY
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THE GREAT GATSBY

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

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Used
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First U.K. Edition
Published
1926
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Stephenson, Virginia, USA
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London: Chatto & Windus, 1926. First U.K. Edition. The first English edition of Fitzgerald's third novel and most enduring work, the story of a flamboyant racketeer's attempt to recapture the upper-class girl he fell in love with during the waning years of World War I. While hailed for many decades as an American classic, Gatsby was a commercial disappointment… Read more about this item
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$125,000.00
The Great Gatsby.

The Great Gatsby.

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

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Used
Published
1925
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Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.
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The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
No Jacket
Edition
First Edition
Published
1925
Binding
Hardcover
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1
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Oxford, Oxfordshire, GBR
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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. [6], 218pp, recently rebound in full morocco by Temple Bookbinders, raised bands, spine in six panels, title lettered direct to second panel, author to fourth with date to foot, upper cover with inlaid vellum panel with hand painted design by Martin Frost of a jazz trumpeter, lower cover with inlaid vellum panel again with… Read more about this item
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THE GREAT GATSBY

THE GREAT GATSBY

by Fitzgerald F. Scott

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Used - Fine with no dust jacket
Published
1953
Binding
Hardcover
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Overland Park, Kansas, USA
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Scribner. Fine with no dust jacket. 1953. Hardcover. Fine with only slight push to spine ends. ¼ black and blue-grey cloth covers, gilt lettering on spine/159 pp. Uncommon older reprint issue, first thus ed. A nice collectible. This is the less common issue with cloth boards, black spine and blue-grey boards. This issue did not come … Read more about this item
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$38.56
The Great Gatsby (Royal Collector's Edition) (Case Laminate Hardcover with Jacket)

The Great Gatsby (Royal Collector's Edition) (Case Laminate Hardcover with Jacket)

by F Scott Fitzgerald

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New
Binding
Hardback
ISBN 10
1774761173
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Southport, Merseyside, GBR
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Hardback. New.
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The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Used - Good
Edition
School Edition
Published
1961
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Hudson, New Hampshire, USA
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$80.00

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This is a unique school edition of "THE GREAT GATSBY" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. 1961; Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. At the back of the book is a biographical sketch of Fitzgerald, as well as a "Study Guide" for the chapters. The Study Guide contains questions about the story, "Notes on the Text," "Interesting Expressions," "Significant Words," and "Other Words… Read more about this item
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The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics)

The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics)

by Scott Fitzgerald, F.

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Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0141182636
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
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Paperback. Acceptable.
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THE GREAT GATSBY

by Fitzgerald F. Scott

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Used
Published
1925
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Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA
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New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, 1925. First edition, first printing, with “chatter”on p. 60, line 16, “northern” on p. 119, line 22, “it’s” on p. 165, line 16, “away” on p. 165, line 29, “sick in tired” on p. 205, lines 9-10, and “Union Street station” on p. 211, lines 7-8 8vo, publisher’s original dark… Read more about this item
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$4,125.00
The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald F. Scott

Condition
Used - in good condition, scraped edges, small stains on spine, owner's pencil marks.
Edition
184 pp., ill. Limited to 50 000 copies.
Published
1973
Binding
In publisher's illustrated binding
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Sremska Mitrovica, SRB
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Kiev, Dnipro Publishers, 1973. Rare first edition of the novel in the USSR in English. First edition in Ukrainian language was published only in 1982. Editions in English, issued in the USSR, published usually as adapted text books for schools or universities. However, this edition were printed to 'common' readers and includes the original text. Preface is in the best Soviet… Read more about this item
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$550.00
The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
1925
Binding
Hardcover
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1
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New York, New York, USA
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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925 First edition, first printing, with "sick in tired" to p. 205. Publisher's green cloth, lettered in gilt to spine and in blind to front board, fore edge of text block untrimmed; lacking the extremely scarce dust jacket. Very good, with light soiling to cloth, light wear to foot of spine, a very gentle lean… Read more about this item
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$3,500.00
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The Great Gatsby

by FITZGERALD, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Fine
Edition
First U.K. Edition, First Printing
Published
1926
Binding
Hardcover
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Rocky River, Ohio, USA
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London: Chatto and Windus, 1926. First U.K. Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. Fine. Octavo, 218pp. A stunning copy, bound in full crushed deep blue Levant goatskin, with gilt edges, borders, dentelles, and elaborate spine compartments. French marbled endpapers. Original navy cloth from boards and spine bound in at rear. An exquisitely beautiful copy of the truly rare first UK… Read more about this item
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$7,500.00
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THE GREAT GATSBY

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Very Good with no dust jacket
Edition
First Edition; First Printing
Published
1925
Binding
Hardcover
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1
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Livonia, Michigan, USA
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Charles Scribners. Very Good with no dust jacket. 1925. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. ****Spring Sale! The current price reflects a 20% discount off the regular price, while the item lasts. Sale ends March 19, 2024*****; First Edition carrying all first issue points: 1925 on title page matching the copyright year; Scribner seal on copyright page; "chatter"… Read more about this item
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$4,800.00
THE GREAT GATSBY

THE GREAT GATSBY

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition; First Printing
Published
1925
Binding
Hardcover
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Pomona, New York, USA
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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1925. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Very Good+ in the original third state dust jacket professionally restored Very Good+. Scribners Seal Errors not corrected that verify true first printing: p.60, line 16–“chatter”; p. 119, line 22–“northern”; p. 165, line 29–“away”; p. 205–lines 9-10–“sick in tired”; p. 211, lines 7-8–“Union Street station”.… Read more about this item
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The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby

by FITZGERALD, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
near fine
Edition
First Grosset and Dunlap edition
Published
1948
Binding
Hardcover
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Rocky River, Ohio, USA
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New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1948. First Grosset and Dunlap edition. Hardcover. Fine/near fine. Octavo, 218pp. A fine, fresh copy in the publisher's blue-gray cloth. In the scarce dust jacket, much nicer than usually found; near fine, with only the slightest fading to the spine panel. Very shallow creasing to extremities. A very handsome copy of this reprint… Read more about this item
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$750.00
The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used
Edition
Facsimile Edition
Binding
Hardcover
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1
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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, New York, USA
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New York: First Edition Library. Facsimile Edition. Hardcover. Book condition is Near Fine, bound in full black cloth; with a Near Fine dust jacket; housed in a Very Good slipcase. Rubbing and edge wear to jacket. Tiny, weak stain to slip case rear panel, short tear to edge of cloth on slipcase. Text is clean and unmarked, bright, clean… Read more about this item
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$350.00
The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F Scott

Condition
Used - Good Condition
Edition
First Edition
Published
1968
Binding
Hardcover
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1
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Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GBR
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Folio Society, 1968. First Edition. Hardcover. Good Condition. Illustrator: Raymond, Charles. ~~Missing slipcase~~VG- 1st print 1968 Folio Society hardback with illustrations by Charles Raymond. Ex-Libris book plate pasted to fly-leaf of book. Previous owner has applied a pencil correction to a spelling error on page 52, well-preserved, secure binding, unmarked. E1 Illustrator: Raymond, Charles. Quantity… Read more about this item
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$60.70
The Great Gatsby (The Complete Fitzgerald's Collection - Alma Classics) (The F. Scott Fitzgerald Collection)

The Great Gatsby (The Complete Fitzgerald's Collection - Alma Classics) (The F. Scott Fitzgerald Collection)

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
No Jacket
Edition
Reprint
Published
2013
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
1847492584
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1
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Carmarthenshire, GBR
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United Kingdom: Alma Classics, 2013. Reprint . Paperback. Fine/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. paperback210 pages,a fine clean copy.We are a real bookshop with real books situated in and shipping from the UK.Shelf B77.
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$3.87
The Great Gatsby (Scribner Library SL1)

The Great Gatsby (Scribner Library SL1)

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1966
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0684717603
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1
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Maplewood, Missouri, USA
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$9.00

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Charles Scribner's Sons, 1966. Good trade paperback, . Trade Paperback. Good.
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$9.00
The Great Gatsby (Wordsworth Classics)

The Great Gatsby (Wordsworth Classics)

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
185326041X
Quantity Available
1
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
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$1.29

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Paperback. Very Good.
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$1.29