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F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby

Full of poetry. Full of pathos. Light on plot. No, that last isn’t fair. While it is true to say that the style, the expressive, evocative writing, was the key element in this book for me, the plot ticks along at a fast enough pace to maintain the reader’s interest. It is definitely an American work, and very much of its time, but by remaining reasonably succinct it avoids the trap of excessive verbiage that plagues so many books of that era. A story that manages to be engaging and thought-provoking, while also a literary delight to read.

Incidentally, I’m listening to an American band at the time of writing this, in Gwyn Hall, Neath. Ok, so the Eagles came along very much later — but somehow it seems to fit.