1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

Chapter 101 Greatness needs no further explanation

The Great Gatsby?

I'd like to see just how amazing that is.

At first, Murray's lips curled into an aristocratic air of reserve and scrutiny. He wanted to see just how much real talent this young man had.

When he read the very first sentence, he was immediately invigorated.

"When I was younger and less experienced, my father gave me a piece of advice that still resonates with me to this day."

"Whenever you feel like criticizing someone, he tells me: 'Remember, not everyone in the world has the same advantages as you.'"

What timeless and philosophical words...

As a seasoned gentleman, Murray knew that the greatest cultivation was not to judge others easily.

Unlike Byron's opening, which is filled with extremely rich emotion and imagery, Michel's work reminded him of the opening he encountered many years ago when he was reading Jane Austen's works...

"It is a universally acknowledged truth that every single man in a wealthy family must marry a wife."

It's concise yet leaves a lasting impression.

Based on this opening line alone, Murray judged that this was definitely a masterpiece.

Perhaps Michel's work will be the next "Pride and Prejudice"?

So, with an appreciative attitude, he continued reading.

And gradually became immersed in the story before my eyes.

Harper was less fortunate; he received the second half of the manuscript.

Although he didn't know the backstory, Michel's fluent and humorous narration drew him into the story.

Among them were some famous quotes with profound philosophical insights that caught his eye.

He was driven crazy by the fact that he couldn't see what lay ahead.

That damn Murray, at his age, how can his hand speed still be so fast...?

Unlike Murray's criteria, Harper places more emphasis on the story's commercial potential.

Without a doubt, this is a work with commercial potential.

Even without being able to see the preceding parts, Harper still made a judgment based on his professional competence.

An unusual silence fell over the living room.

In the silence, only the sound of papers being turned over rapidly could be heard.

Murray's entourage stood in the corner, watching their master's reaction with a curious expression.

He had followed Murray for twenty years and had never seen this well-informed bookseller king show such an expression.

What kind of expression is that?

Shocking? Not entirely.

Greed? A little, perhaps.

More than anything, it's the instinctive, uncontrollable excitement of a hunter when he spots his prey!

"This...this tension in language..."

'

Murray couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He turned to the passage where Gatsby first appeared. The figure standing alone in the moonlight, reaching out his hand, gazing at the green light across the bay.

These few lines of text encapsulate the loneliness and longing of an entire era.

Murray has published countless books, but he can confidently say that he has never seen this kind of writing before.

This is quite similar to the iceberg theory that Michelle mentioned earlier...

As a member of the elite of the British literary world, he was certainly aware of the content of Michel's recent speech.

Time passed by, second by second.

Murray's previously arrogant gaze had long been replaced by shock.

A fine layer of cold sweat even seeped from his forehead.

As a top publisher, he has handled countless masterpieces, and his literary taste has long been honed to an extremely discerning level by the poetry and prose of Byron and Scott.

But the manuscript in his hand...

This is hardly a popular novel!

On the other side, Harper's breathing began to become heavy.

His shrewd businessman eyes were now fixed intently on the words on the paper, as if trying to absorb the ink into his soul.

He wished he could bury his entire face in the manuscript.

The two well-traveled publishing moguls were engrossed in the story of Gatsby.

Michelle knew this was a sure thing.

To be honest, adapting "The Great Gatsby" for modern British audiences would be quite difficult.

When the book was published in 1925, it sold very poorly and was largely ignored.

The initial print run was over 20,000 copies, but only 20,000 copies were sold that year, far less than the 100,000 copies sold of its predecessor, "Paradise on Earth."

Critical reception was polarized. T.S. Eliot and Hemingway both praised its artistic achievement, calling it a "milestone in the American novel." However, general readers reacted coldly, finding the story obscure and the theme pessimistic.

Ultimately, the biggest problem with this book is that its style is too ahead of its time...

It didn't suit the tastes of readers at the time, the writing style was too "sophisticated," and the marketing and promotion also dragged it down. You have to understand that in America during the Jazz Age, readers preferred lighthearted, romantic stories with happy endings.

Gatsby depicted the disillusionment with the American Dream and the chasm between social classes; it was so depressing and sobering.

It's practically going against the market...

Moreover, at that time, women were the main buyers of books, and there were no likable, positive female characters in the books.

The female reader, of course, wasn't buying it...

Furthermore, the story's narrative is too restrained, leaving too much room for interpretation. Many profound meanings are hidden in the details, rather than being explicitly preached.

These issues with writing techniques also increase the reading barrier.

With all those debuffs accumulating, it would be strange if it became popular.

After all, the United States in 1925 was still in an era of economic prosperity and hedonism, and the Great Depression had not yet arrived.

No one wants to admit that "the American Dream is a lie."

It is worth mentioning that Fitzgerald lived in poverty and became addicted to alcohol in his later years. He died of a heart attack in 1940 and believed until his death that he was a failure and that his works would be forgotten.

His works were not rediscovered and became classics until after World War II.

It can only be said that some people are reborn after death... their time has not yet come.

How did this book become popular again?

This brings us to the US military's "pocket book" program.

During World War II, the U.S. War Book Committee printed some classic literary works into portable small-format editions and distributed them free of charge to American soldiers overseas.

The Great Gatsby is one of them...

There's no room for criticism on the battlefield, and it's all a bunch of grown men. If you want to watch, watch; if you don't, there's nothing else to watch.

Sigh, I had no choice but to immerse myself in the book and keep reading, and that's how I discovered its brilliance.

Getting back to the point, there is no doubt that The Great Gatsby is indeed an excellent work.

Michelle retained the core of the book, making some adaptations to fit the Victorian era, making the plot more fluid and engaging.

The biggest problem with the original version is that the male lead pursues a married woman.

In 1837 Britain, this would probably have resulted in immediate execution.

Britain today is an extremely contradictory society.

Extreme openness and extreme conservatism coexist.

Extramarital affairs? Kill him!

I love watching tragic love stories.

Thus, Michel added a layer of classical tragic love to the work.

In his youth, Gatsby fell deeply in love with a young lady from a declining aristocratic family.

The woman's family disliked his poverty and forcibly separated them. The female protagonist was forced to marry a wealthy nobleman.

Years later, Gatsby returns with immense wealth, seeking to win back his former love.

In this way, there is no moral stain from the extramarital affair, and it instead makes readers look forward to it.

Of course, the core of the story remains unchanged.

He didn't love a person, but a dream from the past.

In addition, Michelle completely Britishized the story's background, changing the "American Dream" into the "British Class Dream."

This is precisely the most painful point for the British right now...

Gatsby started from scratch and made a fortune in the colonies through overseas trade.

Although he was wealthy, he had neither a title nor noble blood. The old nobles of London's West End, while outwardly polite, secretly despised him...

He threw lavish banquets not for indulgence, but to gain entry into London's true high society.

This is the most relatable anxiety across the UK.

After all, it's a battle between newly rich industrialists and established landowning tycoons...

Everyone wants to watch it, and everyone can relate to it...

Of course, the final outcome was also very different...

suddenly!

"Bang!"

Harper closed the section of the manuscript in his hand; he had finally finished reading the entire work...

"So we struggled forward, the small boat going against the current, but was constantly pushed back by the waves."

When he read the last sentence, he jumped up as if struck by lightning.

The movement was so forceful that it even knocked over the chair behind him.

This sentence is so powerful that it connects the entire story.

Harper didn't even notice the chair he had knocked over.

His eyes were bloodshot as he clutched the half of the manuscript tightly, as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

He rushed to Michelle, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Mr. Michel! This novel...this novel..."

""

Harper kept saying "this novel" but couldn't find any words to describe the shock he felt.

In the end, he decided to let his financial power speak for itself.

He took a deep breath and pulled the checkbook directly from his inner pocket.

"Five thousand pounds! No! Ten thousand pounds!"

"Mr. Michel, I'll make an advance payment of £10,000!"

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