The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. An exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s, it recounts the haunting story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his obsession with the beautiful Daisy Buchanan at a time when, as the New York Times observed, "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession." The book explores themes of wealth, decadence, idealism, social upheaval, and resistance to change. It is widely considered to be a literary masterwork and a contender for the title of the Great American Novel.