Edited by Maxwell Perkins, every page, every line, every word of this rich, sublime novel is carefully chosen for a very important reason. And yet, its immense import was not felt until the Army distributed copies of the book to soldiers in WWII, just after Fitzgerald's death. In 1940, as hundreds of cases of the unsold second edition of Gatsby languish in Scribners' warehouse, Fitzgerald, fearing his physical decline, writes Max Perkins, referring to Scottie Fitzgerald, his teenaged daughter: “I wish I was in print. It will be odd a year or so from now when Scottie assures her friends I was an author and finds that no book is procurable… Professionally, I know, the next move must come from me. Would the 25-cent press keep Gatsby in the public eye—or is the book unpopular. Has it had its chance? Would a popular reissue in that series with a preface not by me but by one of its admirers – I can maybe pick one – make it a favorite with classrooms, profs, lovers of English prose – anybody. But to die, so completely and unjustly after having given so much. Even now, there is little published in American fiction that doesn’t slightly bare my stamp—in a small way I was an original.”
This wonderful facsimile edition is in excellent, perhaps unread condition with some slight wear to the boards (please see pics). Binding is very tight and square; text is very clean, bright, and crisp. 218 pages. The book measures approximately 7 3/4 x 5.5-inches. Dust jacket comes sleeved in ph-neutral Mylar and ready to slip into your collection.
This iconic first edition facsimile will make a wonderful addition to your collection or a very thoughtful gift.
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