The Great Gatsby is a book.
The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922 . Fitzgerald was repeatedly ambivalent about the book 's title and he considered a variety of alternatives , including titles that referenced the Roman character Trimalchio ; the title he was last documented to have desired was Under the Red , White , and Blue . First published by Scribner 's in April 1925 , The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews and sold poorly ; in its first year , the book sold only 20,000 copies . Today , The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and a contender for the title `` Great American Novel . '' In 1998 , the Modern Library editorial board voted it the 20th century 's best American novel and second best English-language novel of the same time period .