Pick of the Month Book Club

Join us for the Pick of the Month Book Club at the library, where each month we explore a new genre! From thrilling mysteries and heartwarming romances to captivating sci-fi and insightful non-fiction, there's something for every reader. Engage in lively discussions with fellow book lovers, share your thoughts, and discover new favorites along the way. Whether you're a genre enthusiast or looking to branch out, this club is perfect for you!

Pick up a copy of this month's pick on display near the circulation desk!

This month's pick is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the classic novel all month long at Madison County Public Library!

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, the novel depicts narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan.

A youthful romance Fitzgerald had with socialite Ginevra King, and the riotous parties he attended on Long Island's North Shore in 1922 inspired the novel. Following a move to the French Riviera, he completed a rough draft in 1924. He submitted the draft to editor Maxwell Perkins, who persuaded Fitzgerald to revise the work over the following winter. After his revisions, Fitzgerald was satisfied with the text, but remained ambivalent about the book's title and considered several alternatives. The final title he desired was Under the Red, White, and Blue. Painter Francis Cugat's final cover design impressed Fitzgerald who incorporated a visual element from the art into the novel.

Gatsby continues to attract popular and scholarly attention. The novel was most recently adapted to film in 2013 by director Baz Luhrmann, while contemporary scholars emphasize the novel's treatment of social class, inherited wealth compared to those who are self-made, race, environmentalism, and its cynical attitude towards the American dream. The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary masterpiece and a contender for the title of the Great American Novel.