The ad for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. April 9, 1925 (The New York Times/TimesMachine)

Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which has been called the great American novel, was published 90 years ago yesterday. The day before its launch, the above ad was published among many others. (See the full issue at TimesMachine.)

Although the book received a strong review in the Times and later got a larger ad, The Great Gatsby was not the success it eventually became during Fitzgerald’s lifetime. According to Vox, until his death Fitzgerald had earned a little over $13 in royalties in addition to his $2,000 advance. For comparison – the most recent Great Gatsby movie took in more than $351 million in theaters worldwide.

The full page on April 9, 1925, with an ad for The Great Gatsby tucked away. (The New York Times/TimesMachine)