(Courtesy image)

Thursday is unofficially “The Great Gatsby” day in the Twin Cities, when the iconic novel by St. Paul native son F. Scott Fitzgerald will be celebrated on its 100th birthday with two public events.

Published April 10, 1925, “Gatsby” was Fitzgerald’s third novel, a story of love and longing, moral decay, the American Dream and social class. Although it was not an instant hit, the novel has become an American classic.

There will be a complete reading of the book from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. This free event, presented by Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, is designed to allow the audience to drop in and stay as long as they wish.

Across the river, Magers & Quinn bookstore hosts a “Gatsby” 100th anniversary party from 6 to 10 p.m. at Brother Justus Whiskey Co., 3300 Fifth St. N.E., Mpls. The evening will feature Fitzgerald trivia, a costume contest, a pop-up bookshop and a photo booth. $26 in advance. Go to magersandquinn.com/event/The-Great-Gatsby-100th-Birthday-Bash/458.

For a look at the early life of Fitzgerald and St. Paul influences on his writing, Minnesota History Center’s display titled “That’s My Middle West: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s St. Paul,” will be up through May 31. It includes more than 50 items from the Minnesota Historical Society’s Collections, including books, letters, photographs, newspapers and government documents.

Items on display include an inscribed copy of “The Farewell Address of George Washington,” a textbook used by a teenage Fitzgerald; a copy of his debut novel, “This Side of Paradise,” signed by the author and inscribed to the Minnesota Historical Society, and The St. Paul Daily Dirge, a parody newspaper created by Fitzgerald to hand out at a party held in St. Paul in 1922.

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