‘The Great Gatsby’s’ great return

WASILLA — One would think that the act of reading a book can take you on adventures to faraway places; however, “The Great Gatsby” has its own adventure that includes a trip to a foreign country and back again.

On Sept. 6, Wasilla High School librarian Shelly Logsdon received a package. Inside was a copy of the book “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which had been recorded stolen from the school’s library by a former student. Lost to history is that student’s name and the year he or she took the book.

In a letter sent with the book, SSgt. Sergeant Scott Mullin said he returned the book because of the note he discovered in the front when it fell into his hands in Kuwait.

In his letter, Mullin said he felt he compelled to return the book.

“This is just a classic,” the note Mullin forwarded with the book reads. “I stole it from WHS. You might have read it and hated it, but it’s worth another look over. I hated it the first five times, but just reread it and enjoyed it …”

Lt. Col. Scott Magnan of the Wasilla High Air Force JROTC said Mullin did the right thing.

“SSgt. Scott Mullin did exactly what he should’ve done — returned stolen property,” he said.

With an estimated 30,000 books in the library of a school with an estimated 1,200 students, it would be really hard to figure out who took the book. According to the librarian, the system will only hold the record of a student for one year after graduation. So, checking the system wouldn’t work because the student is long gone.

“Obviously, the book had an impact on the student for him/her to not only take it from the library, but also take it with him/her overseas,” Logsdon said.

One can only wonder what this book has been through. Perhaps Kuwait was not the only military base it had visited. Where it has journeyed and the things that took place around it will remain a mystery.

“I think its powerful proof that we are all lifelong learners,” WHS assistant vice principal Ed Ripley said.

Jeanette Leach is a senior journalism student at Wasilla High School.