The Great Gatsby is, at its core, a novel about class. You fundamentally cannot read the book without engaging with it. This, perhaps, is why its status as The Great American novel is so fascinating, because we Americans, as much as we like to pretend otherwise, are deeply uncomfortable discussing class. 

This episode, Bobby and Nesha sit down with Dr. Michael Nowlin to talk about the laboring underclass in Gatsby, discuss the outrageous spending habits of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and break down the competing messages of the American dream. Deep in the Valley of Ashes is where the real story of America unfolds. Meet you there.