(Book 521 From 1001 Books) - The Old Man and The Sea, Ernest HemingwayThe Old Man and the Sea is a short novel written by the American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Bimini, Bahamas, and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction by Hemingway that was published during his lifetime. One of his most famous works, it tells the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba. In 1953, The Old Man and the...

"But man is not made for defeat" he said. "A man can be destroyed, but not defeated." The Old Man and the Sea ~~ Ernest Hemingway” I first encountered Hemingway in college while taking a humanities class; the professor had us read Hemingway’s The Nick Adams Stories . I fell in love with Hemingway’s short stories. I wrote an impassioned paper on the character of Nick and received an “A” for my efforts. Throughout the years, I have returned to Hemingway’s short stories, and novellas, and I ha...

The wolves will come...I started this in high spirits as my updates show: "fifth re-read, how thrilling it is to plumb new depths in old wells of wisdom..."But, as I read on towards the last few pages, I couldn't shake the feeling that this is Moby Dick set in an alternate universe.In this alternate universe:The Giant Leviathan is a noble, unseen fish - steady and without malice.Captain Ahab is transformed into a gentle, wise old zen master. Santiago - a humble fisherman with no legendary crew t...

I believe The Old Man and the Sea reflects Ernest Hemingway’s own life crisis…Any fishing feats, even picturesquely portrayed, don’t sound like some heroic doings…The sun was rising for the third time since he had put to sea when the fish started to circle. He could not see by the slant of the line that the fish was circling. It was too early for that. He just felt a faint slackening of the pressure of the line and he commenced to pull on it gently with his right hand. It tightened, as always, b...

My big fish must be somewhere.Many years ago when I read The Old Man and the Sea I thought it was going nowhere, that it was too simple and ordinary to be of any consequence. On a second reading, however, my view changed and I ended up loving it. What I mistook for repetition was a literary device for emphasis and the boat, like the story, that I judged to be unmoving in the rolling seas was caught in a whirlpool churning the waters in its depth so that the boat and the old man at the sea were n...

"There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The sharks are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know." -Ernest Hemingway

I read this as a young man and was disappointed. It didn't work for me. I thought it was about a crazy old man gone off the reservation, picking a fight with an innocent fish while ranting about the New York Yankees ("I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing. They say his father was a fisherman...").I picked it up again, after the passage of some years, and found it incredibly poignant. It's a simple story. There's an old man, Santiago, who is a fisherman fallen on hard times. He is cared...

My very first time reading Papa and I absolutely LOVED IT. Sometimes the experience you have with a book can be effected by many things beyond the narrative itself, and I think that is certainly the case here. While I believe I would have loved this story regardless, there is no doubt that the stars aligned themselves perfectly to make this a singularly special read for me.Let me explain...Last year, I was in Napa with my wife and two of our best friends celebrating my (oh shit!!) 40th birt

Oh, my good lord in heaven. Cut your line, land your boat and go to McDonald's! Just as in the case of The Great Gatsby, I understand the book. Yes, I know it changed the way American writers write. I also understand that it celebrates the ridiculous American idea that you're only a REAL man if you've done something entirely purposeless, but really dangerous, in pursuit of making yourself look like the bull with the biggest sexual equipment. Get over it, already! Go home and clean out the refrig...

It is intimidating to offer a truly critical look at such a classic, so we will ease into it with a few images. The GOP has offered us a ready-made item to begin this list, and yes, I know that John Stewart already snagged this one and threw it back. I turned up a visual art concept that fits in, for a restaurant based on EH themes:Although I did not sit for this photo, the resemblance is indeed strikingAnd, of courseThe Old Man and the Cee Lo.I suppose am certain there are plenty more images on...

This One Had Me HookedSet in Cuba, The Old Man and The Sea is about an old fisherman named Santiago. He has not been lucky lately with his fishing, and he is all alone in the world save one little boy. Will Santiago’s luck turn?This book had me hooked from the beginning (sorry I couldn’t resist). But seriously, this book gripped me from the beginning. It is definitely a tearjerker. The Old Man and The Sea is deeply moving and filled with symbolism. This is a perfect example of an author showing

My children and I were crossing a bridge in Rome. Our senses were acutely sharpened. We were aware of each minute spent in this capital of human storytelling, of the neverending drama of human culture and nature in interaction and in occasional clashes. Looking out over the river, my son and I spot the sorry remains of a boat, just the bare metal frame without any "flesh", and we instinctively say at the same time: "Hemingway's old man!" We look at each other, smile at our simultaneous associati...

A masterpiece. Like a fable, this has become a part of our cultural consciousness. Santiago's simple heroism is a benchmark for all who persevere and endure.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest HemingwayWith a language of great force and simplicity, it tells the story of an old fisherman whom luck seems to have abandoned. And also of the dire challenge he faces. The story is quite simple. I know there were enough tension moments in this book. But still, I didn't enjoy the story much. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready. Good story.

Loved this book. One of my favorites. I really don't understand why this book doesn't have a higher overall rating. I like Hemingway and I think this is one of his better ones. I guess it's because it doesn't get in the way of itself like some of his other works. This one is straightforward, great descriptions in a man vs nature story.Highly recommend.David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.

On July 2, 1961, Heaven and the world fell silent.When a just man diesLamentation and praiseSorrow and joyAre one.And some suicides, as Scobie’s in The Heart of the Matter, are - no matter what dour theologians May say - Trophies of Heaven.Such, surely, was Hemingway’s.That sunny, windy summer morning we all got the news, even my preteen friends and I were taciturn and sullen. Ernest Hemingway had been a Hero in our world. Life and Time magazines said so, and they were the gospel truth for our p...

This is one of my favourite Hemingway books ever. The old fisherman has the catch of his lifetime and loses everything in a hard struggle to nature. Only bits and pieces of the great Marlin remain. What a book and what a powerful prose. A book to take with you on a deserted island. You seldom find so much symbolism condensed in one single and relatively short book. Very emotional and moving. One of my alltime favourites, a timeless classic! Recommended? I would say this is an absolute must read!...

Ernest Hemingway is considered one of the masters of American 20th century fiction. Garnering from his life experiences, his novels reflect on his time as a newspaper reporter and correspondent in a Europe during both the inner war and war years. A member of the lost generation, Hemingway was the first of his group to have a major work published. In addition to all of the accolades bestowed upon him, Hemingway is considered along Steinbeck to be a master storyteller, especially of short stories....

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff on the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days without a fish.” A masterpiece. I know that many many young people are still forced to read this book in school and don’t quite get what all the hoopla is about, but I think it is not written with young people primarily in mind. There is the boy that supports the old man, true, but as with other stories about old people facing hardship—King Lear comes to mind—I think other stories may connect bette...