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The Great Gatsby, written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, is one of the most successful and popular novels of the 20th century. The work is considered by literary critics as culturally significant because of its documentation of the clamorous 1920s, a period which marked a turning point in the lives of the American people, materially, morally and socially.

A mere 20 copies of the novel were sold when it was first published in 1925 because of the economic stagnation at the time, which impacted on the book market. Despite this, the novel went on to be a big hit when it was distributed to American soldiers during the Second World War. It was subsequently translated into 45 languages, with millions of copies published.

Publishing house S.P Books, in collaboration with Princeton University’s Library, has recently printed copies of the original manuscript of the 302-page novel written by Fitzgerald in 1922. A total of 1,800 copies featuring handmade packaging are available to purchase, with each one having a price tag of $249.