Milton Historical Society, in Cooperation with the Milton Library, Presents:


The Great Gatsby and America in the 1920s


Speaker: Dr. Peter Wakefield,

Emory University

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.


Milton Branch Library

855 Mayfield Road

Milton, Georgia 30009

We are excited to announce a thought-provoking lecture led by Dr. Peter Wakefield, esteemed professor from Emory University! Join us as he delves into F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and explores its deep connection to the social, cultural, and economic landscape of 1920s America.


In this lecture, Dr. Wakefield will examine how the novel reflects the roaring twenties, the rise of jazz, Prohibition, and the evolving notion of the American Dream. Gain new insights into how Fitzgerald’s iconic characters and themes mirror the complexities of an era defined by excess, ambition, and disillusionment.


Whether you’re a long-time fan of The Great Gatsby or new to the novel, this event is sure to spark intriguing conversations about one of the most significant periods in American history.

About our speaker...

Dr. Peter Wakefield


Peter Wakefield earned a PhD from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1989, with a specialization in the history of philosophy.


He co-authored a presentation of the innovative pedagogical programs of Emory’s Institute for the Liberal Arts, which was presented at an international interdisciplinary conference.


His article, “Decadence and The Great Gatsby,” which grew from his teaching in the Interdisciplinary Studies major at Emory, is included in an anthology: Catastrophe and Philosophy (Lexington Books, 2017).