The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald

There is a strange contradiction in the way that Americans feel about the wealthy. While we wish we could join them, we don't really respect them. We don't respect the idle rich at least and that's what is at the heart of this book. Frankly, I couldn't stop picturing Paris Hilton (and she's not my type).
This book is told by a young man from the midwest who finds himself drawn into a very wealthy circle of Long Island. His friends have no purpose in life and also no happy marriages. The nearest unhappy marriage crashes right next door to him and he's a sad witness to it. The fallout is catastrophic but sad in a very muted way.
The story is slight but beautifully told. Fitzgerald had interesting things to say and an interesting way of telling it. This is a very good book. Even though this was my first time reading it, I'm sure I'll revisit it in a few years.