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43rd out of 3,795 books
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20,674 voters
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The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway’s most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal—a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the fac...more
Hardcover, 96 pages
Published
June 10th 1996
by Scribner
(first published 1952)
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You can tell that story in twenty words? Well, I can tell it in nineteen!
I'm sick of Hemingway fans gushing over his economy with words and his
simple sentence styles. I can appreciate why that sort of minimalism takes skill to master, but I'm a reader for chrissakes- I want to be told a story, not subjected to a sort of syntactical bloodletting, experimenting with how many words we can drain from a story and still have it live. Nobody swoons over the latest car that has such little h...more
I'm sick of Hemingway fans gushing over his economy with words and his
simple sentence styles. I can appreciate why that sort of minimalism takes skill to master, but I'm a reader for chrissakes- I want to be told a story, not subjected to a sort of syntactical bloodletting, experimenting with how many words we can drain from a story and still have it live. Nobody swoons over the latest car that has such little h...more
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...more
I was very surprised when I finally tried to read this, and discovered that it bored the living crap out of me. I just couldn't get into it, I don't know why, maybe it was just my mood or something....? I mean, I do like Hemingway. I love the sea, and baseball. I am relatively fond of both old men and little boys (not like that, you fool).... and this is supposed to be really terrific and all, but I just.... I mean, I could've finished it of course, it's short, and it wouldn't have been like tor...more
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 ze...more
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 ze...more
Worst book ever.
Just throw the fucking fish back in. Fuck.
Just throw the fucking fish back in. Fuck.
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...more
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...more
Old Man and the Sea
Perseverance. Will. Experience. Spirit. There is much to be known about this classic. And I was not pertaining to fishing.
"The sea is life and I am one with it"
There is an overwhelming calmness in the middle of the sea. Waves are quieter, they lull you unlike its sisters on the shore, they lash you ever so often that it makes you wonder if it were the same water it was carrying. Much is like aging. You start feisty, full of yours...more
Perseverance. Will. Experience. Spirit. There is much to be known about this classic. And I was not pertaining to fishing.
"The sea is life and I am one with it"
There is an overwhelming calmness in the middle of the sea. Waves are quieter, they lull you unlike its sisters on the shore, they lash you ever so often that it makes you wonder if it were the same water it was carrying. Much is like aging. You start feisty, full of yours...more
Stephen
rated it
6.0 stars. This was my very first Hemingway story and I absolutely LOVED IT. Sometimes the experience you have with a book can be the result of many things beyond the narrative itself and I think that certainly happened to me with this story as I really think the stars aligned perfectly to make this a special read for me.... [BRIEF INTERLUDE] so I can provide some context with a little backstory on the time that I read this.
Last year, I was in Napa with my wife and two ...more
Rick
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone living their life and anyone that has tested themself in some way
I liked this book because it has something to say about life and people. I'd agree with any interpretation that compares the marlin to our ambitions and accomplishments in life. They might be big, but in the end they are a skeleton of memories and then not even that. For me the character of the boy meant most that we help give each other's lives meaning. I agree with the Sparknotes analysis that pride will make us drive ourselves mercilessly to make what we want of our lives. The old man's ...more
I was very near to finishing Mr. Midshipman Hornblower when we were on our way to the hospital the other night, and I knew I was going to need something else at some point over the next few days. I was passing by the computer on the way to the door, and I decided to grab The Old Man and the Sea. I'd been using it as a mouse pad because the Scribner trade paperback edition is a perfect size with a slick, matte-laminated cover that the mouse glides across with no fuss. So the book was handy, I nee...more
The story:
(old) Man vs. Nature.
A down-in-luck old man becomes truly desperate after going for 84 days without a catch. Soon, he hooks the catch of a life-time. The rest of the novel describes the man and fish (a marlin) in their struggle that lasts for days. Don't worry, at this point, I will not give away the ending (not that it is that thrilling).
This story, of course, has deeper symbolic implications. Although the exact symbolism may be debated, the story ...more
(old) Man vs. Nature.
A down-in-luck old man becomes truly desperate after going for 84 days without a catch. Soon, he hooks the catch of a life-time. The rest of the novel describes the man and fish (a marlin) in their struggle that lasts for days. Don't worry, at this point, I will not give away the ending (not that it is that thrilling).
This story, of course, has deeper symbolic implications. Although the exact symbolism may be debated, the story ...more
HAMLET: To be, or not to be--that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to.
'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to s...more
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to.
'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to s...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I really really hate Hemingway's writing. And this book epitomizes every element of my hatred. At least it is short. It's got that going for it.
Sad book. Read it, but know it is sad.
This is probably written at about a 4th grade reading level, and the audience is at least that broad.
It seems fitting that I would review this book at 3 am drunk and on the shitter.
I'll spare you the christ imagery chit-chat.
Why did Ernest Hemingway cross the road?
To die. In the rain.
This is probably written at about a 4th grade reading level, and the audience is at least that broad.
It seems fitting that I would review this book at 3 am drunk and on the shitter.
I'll spare you the christ imagery chit-chat.
Why did Ernest Hemingway cross the road?
To die. In the rain.
I know this is supposed to be some great classic bit of American literature but I hated it. I get that it is supposed to be written in the voice of the uneducated Santiago but to me it just reads like a Dick and Jane primer. I was ready to sell my soul for a multisyllabic word or a complex sentence.
Disclaimer: This is not a review. This may have spoilers. Read at your own risk. Visit original post at Book Rhapsody.
Intro
This is a tough one for me mostly because I am forcing myself to write and I haven’t slept for the last 30 hours. I doubt if I can think good enough. My fingers are getting more and more prone to dyslexic typing. Nausea has been threatening me since lunch time and I feel that my head is going to fall off my neck. And yet, I am still trying to write today’...more
Intro
This is a tough one for me mostly because I am forcing myself to write and I haven’t slept for the last 30 hours. I doubt if I can think good enough. My fingers are getting more and more prone to dyslexic typing. Nausea has been threatening me since lunch time and I feel that my head is going to fall off my neck. And yet, I am still trying to write today’...more
I'm not a huge Hemingway fan, but I do have to say that this book is one of my favorites and the best that Hemingway wrote. What an incredible tale of human fortitude and self-validation. I love this story so much. I forget I am reading each time: the words are constructed in such a way that I visualize the whole story as though I were an invisible spectator. I love the descriptions of the old man's hands, and the whole story is told with unbelievable detail. We can all identify with the epic s...more
An old man, an experienced fisherman has gone without catching a fish for 84 days. He feels that his pride and reputation in the community are on the line. His usual companion and helper Manolin is not with him anymore because his parents, after 40 days without catching a fish feel that the old man is a “Salao”and have told Manolin to fish with another group that have better luck than the old man. Manolin, however remains dedicated to the old man since he is his mentor and the fisherman with th...more
Jenelle
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ty Melgren
Recommended to Jenelle by:
Hemingway's home in Cuba, my dad, my life at sea
tender!
Umm, very short 100 page story from Hemingway. An Old Man, whom is a fisherman in Cuba, sets out in a skiff to catch a large fish, as he is feeling lucky that particular day, the day being the eighty fifth since he has caught any good fish. Tragic tale however, and I was just confused to what the analogy of the story contained, or what moral it was telling. The Old Man catches his fish, takes him several days to overcome it (it is 18 foot long), travels some distance as the fish is pulling his s...more
Christopher MacMillan
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
pulitzer-prize-winners-and-nominees
There's an ongoing debate over the merits of Ernest Hemingway's classic novella (even the Pulitzer Prize committee who rewarded the novel with their trophy for literature have cited it as one of Hemingway's lesser works, and have admitted its Pulitzer Prize is more-or-less a make-up victory for Hemingway's not having won for "For Whom the Bell Tolls"). However, I know what side of the debate I firmly stand on, because I thought "The Old Man and the Sea" was a masterpiece of 2...more
He loves the sea just like I do.
Nelayan harus mencintai lautnya, sekeras apa ia menghadang.
Laut adalah dunianya, dimana ia mengisi hari2nya, diantara ombak dan serbuan hiu..
Laut memberikan kedamaian, atau laut yang marah, laut yang harus diterjuni..
karena itu laut sering dipakai sebagai metafor untuk 'kehidupan'.
Harus survive, karena kau tidak menjejak ke daratan, pada perahumu kau bertahan, pada kemudi kau berarah.
Kemudimu menentukan keputusanmu, tanggung j...more
Nelayan harus mencintai lautnya, sekeras apa ia menghadang.
Laut adalah dunianya, dimana ia mengisi hari2nya, diantara ombak dan serbuan hiu..
Laut memberikan kedamaian, atau laut yang marah, laut yang harus diterjuni..
karena itu laut sering dipakai sebagai metafor untuk 'kehidupan'.
Harus survive, karena kau tidak menjejak ke daratan, pada perahumu kau bertahan, pada kemudi kau berarah.
Kemudimu menentukan keputusanmu, tanggung j...more
The_Freddy
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
no one, maybe very bored old men
Recommended to The_Freddy by:
friends whose literary taste I now mistrust
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I remember in class being like WHY do I have to read this book?
"I am a boy and I must obey him." "[A:]nd the sweet blood smell all over me." Do people actually say these things?
I read this book in middle school and I gave it a second chance, but it is still torture to read.
"There are two more hours before the sun sets and maybe he will come up before that. If he doesn’t maybe he will come up with the moon. If he does not do that maybe he will come up with the sunrise." Jesus Fucking Christ Hanging Off The Cros...more
I read this book in middle school and I gave it a second chance, but it is still torture to read.
"There are two more hours before the sun sets and maybe he will come up before that. If he doesn’t maybe he will come up with the moon. If he does not do that maybe he will come up with the sunrise." Jesus Fucking Christ Hanging Off The Cros...more
Salao -- demikian orang-orang memanggil Santiago, nelayan Kuba yang tua. Salao, artinya orang yang paling sial dari yang paling sial. Bagaimana tidak, selama 85 hari ia sudah melaut dan tidak mendapatkan ikan satupun padahal itu bulan September, bulan dimana arus besar selalu dipenuhi ikan. Rekor sebelumnya, 87 hari tanpa ikan.
Tapi Santiago bukanlah orang mudah patah semangat, di hari ke-85 itu ia memutuskan untuk melaut sejauh-jauhnya sambil berdoa agar mendapat ikan. Memang benar, ...more
Tapi Santiago bukanlah orang mudah patah semangat, di hari ke-85 itu ia memutuskan untuk melaut sejauh-jauhnya sambil berdoa agar mendapat ikan. Memang benar, ...more
Right, so. I feel the need to contextualize this.
In 10th grade, I had to read The Sun Also Rises which, for a number of reasons, put a bad taste in my mouth. Having no frame of reference for Hemingway, I still found myself reacting negatively to his very male-ness. I didn't give a crap about Jake's impotence, and I could think of quite a few male figures in my life who I thought damn well deserved impotence. Plus, it was just sort of half-assedly taught, and I was fifteen.
...more
In 10th grade, I had to read The Sun Also Rises which, for a number of reasons, put a bad taste in my mouth. Having no frame of reference for Hemingway, I still found myself reacting negatively to his very male-ness. I didn't give a crap about Jake's impotence, and I could think of quite a few male figures in my life who I thought damn well deserved impotence. Plus, it was just sort of half-assedly taught, and I was fifteen.
...more
Joshua
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone into a thoughtful, albeit short ,read
Shelves:
classics
So what is this book about? It can all be summed up from a scene occurring in one of my favorite South Park episodes:
Mexican 1: Si, we read it.
Kyle: What was it about, in case our teacher asks us?
Mexican 1: He starts, there's this old man and his job is to catch the fish. So he get in the boat to try and catch the fish.
Mexican 2: So he catch the fish but the fish is very strong, so the old man can not reel in the fish.
Mexican 3: So then he fight ...more
Mexican 1: Si, we read it.
Kyle: What was it about, in case our teacher asks us?
Mexican 1: He starts, there's this old man and his job is to catch the fish. So he get in the boat to try and catch the fish.
Mexican 2: So he catch the fish but the fish is very strong, so the old man can not reel in the fish.
Mexican 3: So then he fight ...more
This book was my gateway drug to the literary greats. I selected it, as was often my process, by choosing it from my parents' library of leftovers from college. This one actually looked like one I could tackle at about age 14. So, I did. This book was one of elegant simplicity, much like its characters. The size of the book contrasting with the power of the story are evidence of the might in his words. I wept at the conclusion of the story and I was immediately enlightened as to why Hemmingway w...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineola Memorial ...: February's Pick | 1 | 2 | 3 hours, 53 min ago | |
| the symbols | 29 | 67 | Jan 31, 2012 01:37am | |
| Santiago | 9 | 134 | Dec 31, 2011 05:22pm | |
| readers advisory ...: all the hemmingway | 8 | 34 | Nov 10, 2011 07:25am | |
| Honors English 2 ...: The common man as tragic figure | 103 | 107 | Oct 31, 2011 09:46am |
Readers Also Enjoyed
Awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style."
Received the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Literature for The Old Man and the Sea.
More about Ernest Hemingway...
Received the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Literature for The Old Man and the Sea.
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“But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated. ”
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161 people liked it
“Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”
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71 people liked it
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