#2102 - Will Storr

Published in 1925, 'The Great Gatsby' is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life during the Jazz Age. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes entangled in the lives of his wealthy and mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and Gatsby's obsession to win back his first love, Daisy Buchanan. The story delves into themes of honesty, the temptations of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past, ultimately reflecting on the disintegration of the American Dream.

Published in 1980, 'Michelle Remembers' is a memoir that recounts Michelle Smith's alleged experiences of satanic ritual abuse during her childhood in the 1950s. The book was written based on extensive therapy sessions with Dr. Lawrence Pazder, who used hypnosis and other suggestive techniques to recover Smith's memories. The narrative includes graphic descriptions of rituals, sacrifices, and other forms of abuse, which were later widely discredited due to the lack of physical evidence and the controversial methods used to recover the memories. The book played a significant role in sparking the global 'Satanic Panic' of the 1980s.