Synopsis
“The last of his novels Ernest Hemingway saw published, The Old Man and the Sea has proved to be one of the most enduring works of American fiction. The story of a down-on-his-luck Cuban fisherman and his supreme ordeal – a relentless agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream – has been cherished by generations of readers. Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of adversity, and personal triumph won from loss, and transforms them into a magnificent twentieth-century classic. First published in 1952, this hugely popular tale confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature.”
-Synopsis from inside front cover
Review
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway was my April pick for the Rory Gilmore Book Club, being hosted by Jules over at The Literary Lifestyle. The prompt for this month was to read a book written by a popular author.
This is one of those classic books I have been curious about but never taken the time to actually read. I think if you have any firsthand experience sailing or being around large bodies of water, you will definitely appreciate this story. The writing style is extremely detailed and yet I struggled with being able to picture some of the more intricate descriptions about the boat, for example. I had to really pay attention while reading but that helped me appreciate the story as a whole even more.
My library copy of the book included an insert with pictures of Hemingway throughout his life so that was a fun element to experience while reading. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short, easy to read classic. It is a slow, sentimental story and I’m glad I finally took the time to read it.
Next month’s prompt is to read a diverse book from the Gilmore Girls Reading List and I am still deciding which book to read so stay tuned.
Hannah's Library 