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Quick answer: If you loved The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, try Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh and The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo.
The Great Gatsby is a high school classic that many readers love even more as adults. The books below share its Jazz Age setting, glittering wealth, social climbing, unrequited love and sense of tragedy. They include classics of the 1920s and modern novels that echo Fitzgerald’s style.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby captures the glamour and emptiness of the Jazz Age in just over 180 pages. Through the eyes of Nick Carraway, F. Scott Fitzgerald tells the story of the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his doomed longing for Daisy Buchanan. Its gorgeous prose, wild parties and tragic ending make it one of the great American novels. If you loved the 1920s setting, the critique of wealth or the lyrical writing, these picks fit.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Great Gatsby: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tender Is the Night | F. Scott Fitzgerald | Classic novel | More Fitzgerald |
| The Sun Also Rises | Ernest Hemingway | Classic novel | The Lost Generation |
| Rules of Civility | Amor Towles | Historical fiction | Glamorous New York |
| The Talented Mr. Ripley | Patricia Highsmith | Thriller | Obsession with the rich |
| Brideshead Revisited | Evelyn Waugh | Classic novel | Aristocratic decline |
| The Chosen and the Beautiful | Nghi Vo | Fantasy | A magical retelling |
| The House of Mirth | Edith Wharton | Classic novel | Society and tragedy |
| The Age of Innocence | Edith Wharton | Classic novel | Forbidden love |
| Nick | Michael Farris Smith | Historical fiction | A prequel |
| The Secret History | Donna Tartt | Literary thriller | Privileged circles |
| Daisy Jones and the Six | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Historical fiction | Glamour and excess |
| Beautiful Little Fools | Jillian Cantor | Historical fiction | Women’s perspectives |
| This Side of Paradise | F. Scott Fitzgerald | Classic novel | Fitzgerald’s debut |
| Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald | Therese Anne Fowler | Historical fiction | The Fitzgeralds’ real lives |
| Revolutionary Road | Richard Yates | Literary fiction | The American dream |
1. Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A glamorous American couple on the French Riviera slowly fall apart. It’s Fitzgerald’s most personal novel.
2. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
American and British expatriates drink and travel from Paris to Pamplona in the 1920s.
3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
A young woman climbs into New York high society in 1938. It’s elegant and witty.
4. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
A young man insinuates himself into a wealthy friend’s life in Italy, with deadly results.
5. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
A young man is drawn into the world of a fading English aristocratic family.
6. The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
Gatsby retold through Jordan Baker, a queer Vietnamese adoptee, with magic. It’s dazzling.
7. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Lily Bart tries to secure her place in New York society. It’s sharp and heartbreaking.
8. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
A New York lawyer falls for his fiancée’s unconventional cousin. It won the Pulitzer Prize.
9. Nick by Michael Farris Smith
The story of Nick Carraway before he moved to West Egg.
10. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A group of elite college students commit a murder. It’s dark and seductive.
11. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A 1970s rock band’s rise and fall. It shares Gatsby’s glamour and heartbreak.
12. Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor
Gatsby’s story retold through Daisy, Jordan and Gatsby’s former lover.
13. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A young man’s coming of age at Princeton and after.
14. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
The story of Zelda Fitzgerald and her stormy marriage.
15. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
A suburban couple in the 1950s struggle against conformity.
How to Pick Your Next Read After The Great Gatsby
- Want more Fitzgerald? Tender Is the Night and This Side of Paradise.
- Want Jazz Age history? Z and The Sun Also Rises.
- Want retellings? The Chosen and the Beautiful and Beautiful Little Fools.
- Want glamour? Rules of Civility.
- Want darkness? The Talented Mr. Ripley.
- Book club pick? Rules of Civility sparks great talk.
Reading Gatsby Again as an Adult
Many people first read The Great Gatsby in high school and remember only the parties and the green light. Rereading it as an adult often reveals much more: Fitzgerald’s wry humor, Nick’s unreliability as a narrator, and the sharp critique of wealth and class. Its short length makes it an easy reread, and pairing it with one of the picks above, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley or Rules of Civility, makes its themes stand out even more.
Related: The Great Gatsby book club discussion questions and best books on the Roaring Twenties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read after The Great Gatsby?
Try Tender Is the Night, The Sun Also Rises, Rules of Civility or The Talented Mr. Ripley.
What is a modern book like The Great Gatsby?
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles and The Secret History by Donna Tartt share its glamour and darkness.
Are there Great Gatsby retellings?
Yes. The Chosen and the Beautiful, Beautiful Little Fools and Nick all reimagine the story.