Book Club Night Kit
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Cozy night
A short, lyrical American classic about longing, reinvention, and the ache beneath glittering parties. Perfect for a slow, cozy night of conversation.
An Old Sport Sort of Evening
Come over for soft jazz, grilled cheese, and a slow chat about The Great Gatsby. Slippers welcome, opinions optional.
Reading level: Moderate
Best for: Clubs who love beautiful sentences and slow, heartfelt conversation
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.What was the weather, the snack, or the chair like while you were reading this one? Set the scene for us.
- 2.Was this a first read or a revisit, and what feeling did you carry from the very first chapter?
Digging in
- 1.Nick is the kind of narrator who sits next to you and quietly tells a story. Did his voice feel like good company, and what did it remind you of?
- 2.The book is full of parties, lights, and music from far away. Was there a scene that felt warm and inviting to you, even if the people in it weren't entirely happy?
- 3.So much of the story is about missing something or someone from the past. What did the book stir up for you about your own memories or old longings?
- 4.Long Island summers, drives into the city, hot afternoons in stuffy rooms. Which setting did you most want to step into, and which one made you want to close the windows and stay home?
Going deep
- 1.Gatsby spends the whole book reaching for something. When in your own life have you felt that kind of hopeful, almost tender reaching, and how do you look back on it now?
- 2.If you could sit with one character in your coziest spot, with tea and no agenda, who would you invite and what would you gently want to ask them?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Mini grilled cheese with tomato soup shooters
A 1920s diner comfort, scaled down for snacking during a long talk
Deviled eggs
A classic party tray nod to Gatsby's gatherings, but homey instead of fussy
Lemon pound cake with whipped cream
Buttery and golden, like the warm summer light that runs through the book
To sip
French 75 (gin, lemon, bubbly)
An era-appropriate sparkler that still feels gentle and celebratory
Hot honey-lemon toddy
Soothing speakeasy comfort in a mug for a slow evening
Sparkling lemonade with mint and raspberry (no alcohol)
All the glamour of a coupe glass, none of the alcohol
Run of show
7:00
Soft landing
Low lamps, jazz on quietly, toddies and lemonade ready as people drift in
7:20
Snack and settle
Plate up the grilled cheese and deviled eggs, let folks chat informally
7:40
Warm-up questions
Move to the cozy seating circle and use the two warmups to ease in
8:00
Heart of the talk
Work through the theme questions, no need to hit them all, follow the warmth
8:45
Dessert and deep questions
Bring out the pound cake and slow into the two deep questions
9:15
Scorecards and send-off
Fill out scorecards together, share one-word reactions, hand out bookmarks
Host tips
- Keep lighting low and layered, lamps and candles rather than overhead lights
- Have a soft throw or two on the couch so guests can actually curl up
- It's okay to let silences sit, this vibe rewards thinking out loud slowly
Playlist
Soft jazz age standards and dreamy modern covers, played low under conversation
- 01 Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- 02 The Way You Look Tonight - Fred Astaire
- 03 Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- 04 Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
- 05 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square - Nat King Cole
- 06 Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey
- 07 La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
- 08 Stardust - Hoagy Carmichael
Trivia
- 1.In what year was The Great Gatsby first published? (1925)
- 2.What U.S. state is the fictional West Egg located in? (New York (Long Island))
- 3.What was F. Scott Fitzgerald's full first and middle name? (Francis Scott (Key) Fitzgerald)
- 4.Fitzgerald named his son after which famous American figure, whose name he also shared? (Francis Scott Key, writer of The Star-Spangled Banner)
- 5.What broad cultural era is the novel most associated with? (The Jazz Age / the Roaring Twenties)
- 6.Who narrates the novel? (Nick Carraway)
- 7.In what Midwestern city was F. Scott Fitzgerald born? (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
- 8.What was the name of Fitzgerald's wife, also a writer and icon of the era? (Zelda Fitzgerald)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
“Lamplight, jazz, and a sigh for what almost was.”
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
bookclubnight.com
“Hold the page like a warm cup.”
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
bookclubnight.com
“Some lights we chase, some we sit beside.”
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
bookclubnight.com
Rate the book
Coziness of prose☆☆☆☆☆
Emotional warmth☆☆☆☆☆
Atmosphere and mood☆☆☆☆☆
Characters you'd have tea with☆☆☆☆☆
Lingering feeling☆☆☆☆☆
One word for this book: ______________________
A scene I'd reread on a rainy night: ______________________
Who I want to hand this book to next: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.