I read this novel for the first time as an undergraduate at university (which probably is rather common when living in Scandinavia) and I loved the manner in which F. Scott Fitzgerald paints a colourful canvas of the roaring twenties. The story of Jay Gatsby is both sad and intriguing and I have, since I first read it, also enjoyed seeing the reactions of several of my students as they encounter it for the first time.

This will probably not be the case in the future, however, as Baz Luhrmann's movie is shown all over the world and every student will see the faces of Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire before them as they read. Pros and cons. The movie has had mixed reviews, but I will definitely watch it. I might not do so while it's in the theatres, but I definitely will when it's released on DVD later on.