Paul Romsky

I hated the book because I could not relate to it in junior high school. I had to do a book report on it. Here is the entire report: "The Great Gatsby", is a story about a man named Gatsby, who was.... great. End I did not finish the book, it did not hold my interest. I told my father that I got an 'F' on my report and why. He, went to his bookcase, pulled out "The Old Man and the Sea", handed it to me, and said, "Here is a better book. Read it. Its yours now". I took away a lot more from that book than that glitzy 1920's novel. That was 1976. I still have that book. Oh, when we read Hamlet in High School, I cried foul that "Polack" was used in the book and I was being forced to read it for a grade. I am of Polish decent. I told my father. He went to the school the next day, spoke with my dean. I was allowed to pick an English teacher of my choice based on the reading list.