Editor’s Note: In honor of National Poetry Month, we’re opening this month’s patron-exclusive book club to the public. We hope you enjoy The Great Gatsby and poetry!
The Great Gatsby Book Club
National Poetry Month is here, but that doesn’t mean we need to neglect the other genres until May Day. In fact, I’m going to host a book club on my favorite novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, all month.
Perhaps you’ve read Gatsby in high school, or seen one of the movie versions, or just heard the title over the years along with some references to a green light, “‘ol’ sport,” or the eyes of T.J. Eckelberg. Or maybe it’s all new to you, which, in some ways, makes me jealous that you have the opportunity to experience it for the first time! The story of love-(or is it dream?)-lorn Gatsby, trusty narrator Nick, the highbrow Buchanans, and the downtrodden residents of the Valley of Ashes have captured and complicated the American imagination since the novel’s release in 1925.
But wait: there’s a poetic twist!
As a book club, we’ll spend the month writing our way through Gatsby with our own poems, delving deeply into these complex characters and themes with the careful attention the book deserves and inspires. The short novel is in many ways an extended poem, with Fitzgerald’s every word, image, and even punctuation mark showing that the how, not just the what, of telling a story is what lodges it in our hearts.
You don’t have to have The Great Gatsby, or poetry writing, for that matter, all figured out in order to participate in this book club. In fact, I hope that during our journey together, we will discover that
1) writing poetry as we read will help us better understand the novel and
2) reading the novel as we write will help us create inspired poems.
Daisy is beckoning with her melodious laughter. The green light is blinking. Will you join me?
Featured photo by Mai Le, Creative Commons license via Flicker. Gatsby Kindle photo by L.L. Barkat. Post by Tania Runyan.
The Great Gatsby Reading Schedule
April 7: Chapters 1-2
April 14: Chapters 3-4
April 21: Chapters 5-6
April 28: Chapters 7-9
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Sandra Heska King says
Fun! I have a copy of The Great Gatsby–and I’ve never read it. 🙂
What is in the “artistic” version that might be different–besides the fact that cover is sweet!
P.S. I’ve never seen the movie, either.
L.L. Barkat says
It just has some fun art deco chapter numbers. But there is also one coming on Amazon with vintage illustrations in it. (For some reason, that one is showing as being for sale all over the world but not yet in the U.S.) Sighs. 🙂
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091557W3G
Sandra Heska King says
I went ahead and ordered it. I think I’d like to hold those pages in my hand. 🙂
L.L. Barkat says
Oh, you got the illustrated Kindle? (I love it. I just can’t stop looking at the illustrations. (I turn my Kindle sideways, so I can see them take up the whole screen!) 🙂 )
Sandra Heska King says
I did. I was kinda hoping for color illustrations. Will it ever be in paperback? 😉
Amandah R. says
Hi,
Is the book club for patrons only?
Thanks!
L.L. Barkat says
While the book clubs are usually patron-only, we will be opening this club to the public in celebration of National Poetry Month. Hoping you’ll join us, Amandah! 🙂
Kim says
How do I join the book club? Just sign up for the emails? Thanks, Kim
L.L. Barkat says
Thanks for asking, Kim. 🙂
We have email alerts for patrons who’d like to receive them. Other than that, we suggest you pop in each week during National Poetry Month and look for the book club post. We’ll be here!
Kortney Garrison says
I love love love the idea of reading a novel as a way in to poetry. Count me in! Looking forward to experiencing the synergy of the two forms.
Tania Runyan says
I so look forward to having you participate!
Megan Willome says
I’m in! I’ve read the book a couple of times–like it, don’t love it. I suspect writing poems as part of the book club will make me like it a whole lot more.
Thanks, Tania!
Tania Runyan says
Poetry makes everything more lovable! Happy to have you join us!
Angela Bailey says
Hi! Thank you for the invitation to the Giving Gatsby the Green Light Club for National Poetry Month but how do I sign up? I already have a copy of the book.
Angela
L.L. Barkat says
Awesome! 🙂
As I mentioned to Kim, above, we’ll be providing email alerts for patrons who’d like to receive them.
Other than that, we suggest you drop by each week during National Poetry Month and poke around for the book club post.
We look forward to reading and writing with you, Angela!
Angela Bailey says
Thank you for your reply but I thought, based on the email invitation I received, that we could become patrons for free during National poetry Month.
L.L. Barkat says
Ah. Sorry about that misunderstanding. 🙂 (Do you mean this invitation? https://mailchi.mp/tweetspeakpoetry/planning-for-national-poetry-month-1618886 )
We are offering a free digital copy of our non-illustrated Gatsby for anyone who becomes a patron now. Patrons also get other free perks. You can see them all here:
https://www.patreon.com/tweetspeakpoetry/
Let me know if you have any more questions, Angela. And we do look forward to reading and writing in the Gatsby club with you during April.
deb y felio says
Is this a zoom or interactive group with a time for meeting or an asynchronous writing group?
L.L. Barkat says
Asynchronous writing group. Looking forward to writing with you, deb. 🙂
deb felio says
ME too!