Programs in Celebration of a Classic

We’re having a swinging good time this summer celebrating the centennial of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  novel, The Great Gatsby, with multiple programs on this Jazz Age classic:

Classics in Our Historic Library 
Monday, August 4, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Looking to revisit the great works of literature? Are old books your cup of tea? Join us for an intimate book discussion in the historic 1892 section of the Library. Librarian Emma Yohannan will facilitate a discussion of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read your own copy of the book or ask a librarian to assist you in borrowing a copy ahead of the program. Space is limited. Click here to register starting 7/14.

Gatsby at 100 
Thursday, August 14, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  
First published on April 10, 1925, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald encapsulated an image of the North Shore of Long Island that has been extremely enduring. This lecture will explore the history of the book’s creation and reception, as well as both the mythology and the reality of the area that it depicted. Presented by Joshua Ruff in conjunction with the ongoing Long Island Museum exhibition, Gatsby at 100 (July 24–October 19, 2025). Ruff serves as the Co-Executive Director, Collections & Programming, at the Long Island Museum. Click here to register starting 7/14.

Questions on these programs? Email askus@emmaclark.org

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And we have a program for Teens & Tweens…

Gatsby at 100 Museum Tour and Book Discussion: Self-Made Boys (A Great Gatsby Remix)
Thursday, July 31, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at The Long Island Museum, Stony Brook
For those going into Grades 6 – 12 in the fall

Join us, Old Sport, at the Long Island Museum for a tour of their Gatsby at 100 exhibit and book discussion of Self-Made Boys (A Great Gatsby Remix) by Anna-Marie McLemore, one of the latest releases in the Remixed Classics series.

Our museum guide will interweave aspects of Self-Made Boys with the history of Long Island’s Gold Coast and Fitzgerald’s writing circle, providing a deeper understanding of the lives of 1920s young folks from marginalized backgrounds, as well as those who were figureheads of the era. Librarian Emily Ostrander will lead the book discussion directly following the tour. Snacks will be provided. Click here to register starting 6/17.

About the book: In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds expertly reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens.  In Self-Made Boys, the Gatsby tale is retold: Nicolás Caraveo, a 17-year-old Mexican American trans boy, arrives in Long Island’s West Egg, and meets up with his cousin Daisy, whom he is shocked to discover has remade herself into Daisy Fay, a passing white woman, to escape the racism of wealthy society.  When Nick meets the infamous Jay Gatsby, his new-money next-door neighbor with a serious crush on Daisy, they realize they have far more in common than expected.  Jay envelops Nick in his diverse, heavily LGBTQ+ community, showing Nick the ways that people in 1920s New York found their truest selves.  But when drama arises, will Nick and Jay get a happy ending, or follow the path The Great Gatsby’s notorious finale set before them?  You’ll have to read the book to find out!

About the exhibit: In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), his wife Zelda (1900–1948), and their infant daughter Scottie (1921–1986), moved into a Mediterranean-style house at 6 Gateway Drive in Great Neck. Fitzgerald immersed himself in the local community and created an indelible island of imagination, something that resembled but also caricatured what the North Shore of Long Island actually was in the 1920s. On April 10, 1925, The Great Gatsby was published by Charles Scribner’s Sons. The novel received mixed reviews and was not an immediate commercial success. However, it has since taken on a much larger significance in literary and popular culture, achieving a place in the canon of great American novels. This exhibition will focus on the history of the book’s creation and reception, as well as both the mythology and the reality of the area that it depicted. Objects will include items from private and public collections related to the book and to the Fitzgeralds’ lives, period clothing from the LIM’s collection, Jazz Age artwork, and well-developed vignettes.

Parents are welcome to stick around for the tour, or explore the museum on their own, with free entry provided by the Long Island Museum!

Questions about this program? Email teens@emmaclark.org

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Click here for more information on the Gatsby at 100 exhibit at The Long Island Museum.

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Please note, if you are visiting the museum any other time, we offer free passes. Click here for more information on our Museum Pass Collection.