If you enjoyed F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby or one of its many film adaptations, you were probably drawn in by the author’s rich prose, the flashy lifestyle of the 1920s, or the protagonist’s undying love for Daisy.
All of these elements make Gatsby a riveting read, and luckily, there are many more excellent books that explore similar themes.
In this post, we’ll show you 8 fabulous books like The Great Gatsby to add to your reading list for a trip back in time.
Books Like The Great Gatsby
Below are 8 books that are similar to The Great Gatsby in theme, setting, and style.
1. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was a contemporary of F. Scott Fitzgerald and another defining author of their generation.
Although their writing styles were very different, Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises echoes Gatsby by examining the 1920s culture and hedonism of the American upper classes, albeit in Paris instead of New York.
Endless parties, free-flowing booze, and unrequited love are other themes that echo Gatsby.
2. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Many of Fitzgerald’s other works are also evocative of Gatsby, since most are also set in the 1920s and deal with themes of excessive wealth, privilege, and misguided love.
This Side of Paradise is one such novel that features a vain young protagonist, Amory Blaine, who comes of age after going to Princeton, serving in World War I, and falling in love.
After being disillusioned by money, class, and romance, Amory tries to find his place in an ever-changing world.
3. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
This novel was published in the same year as The Great Gatsby (1925), and follows Clyde Griffiths, who is born poor but later taken in by his wealthy relatives and raised as a member of high society.
Like Gatsby, An American Tragedy examines the corrupting force of money, albeit in a darker manner.
While pursuing Hortense, a wealthy and reckless socialite, Clyde impregnates a poor factory girl named Roberta, and he’ll stop at nothing to cover up their affair.
4. Jazz by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison’s 1992 novel is set in the Jazz Age, but unlike Gatbsy, this book explores the Harlem Renaissance and the struggles of the Black urban population.
Through the love triangle between a murderous door-to-door salesman, his unstable wife, and his teenaged lover, Morrison explores the injustices often dealt to Black women.
If you’re looking for something grittier and want a change from Fitzgerald’s flashy tales of white, privileged hedonism, give Jazz a try.
5. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
This novel, told completely in stream of consciousness, offers a look at British high society in the 1920s.
The book follows a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, as she prepares for a party and preoccupies herself with the last-minute details. But in her mind, she is something much more than a perfect society hostess.
6. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
This riches-to-rags story follows the tragedy of the Compson family, who begin as Southern aristocrats but later fall into poverty and ruin.
Set in Jefferson, Mississippi, the novel is separated into four narratives, of characters whose lives are fragmented by history and legacy.
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Wilde’s only novel was published nearly 30 years before The Great Gatsby, but the rich language is evocative of Fitzgerald’s style.
As Dorian Gray falls deeper into a life of hedonism and vice, he remains beautiful on the outside, while his painting bears the ugly marks of his vain ways.
8. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Written in the 1920s, Wharton’s novel actually takes place in the 1870s. The Age of Innocence follows a wealthy New York family as they navigate the rigid societal norms of the day.
Wharton has said that the novel was inspired by her own childhood memories, and how she saw the world change dramatically with World War I.
What Should You Read If You Liked The Great Gatsby?
If you liked The Great Gatbsy, then any of the titles above would make a worthy addition to your reading list.
I’d also recommend checking out more books by Fitzgerald, or his contemporary, Ernest Hemingway, for more tales of the 1920s and beyond.
Do you have a favorite book like The Great Gatsby? Share it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- The Great Gatsby Book Cover: What’s Behind Those Famous Eyes?
- The Most Memorable Great Gatsby Quotes, Explained
- The Last Line of The Great Gatsby, Explained
- 6 Must-Read F. Scott Fitzgerald Books About the Jazz Age
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
