The Sun Also Rises

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Sun Also Rises, please sign up.

Answered Questions (19)

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
John Bailey One has to understand the milieu of the book. At the time of publication in 1926, the idea of people going off to drink, carouse and have sex was shoc…moreOne has to understand the milieu of the book. At the time of publication in 1926, the idea of people going off to drink, carouse and have sex was shocking to Calvin Coolidge's America, where alcohol prohibition was the law of the land. Europe didn't have the puritan ethic, nor the hangups about sex and alcohol consumption America had. Hemingway, who'd spent the previous 5 years in Europe, was bringing a completely different ethos to American readers. Shocking sells. From then on, most of his heros are hard drinkers, and indeed inspired many Americans to become hard drinkers. All the film noir heroes of the 40s are hard drinkers-- all inspired by Hemingway, and much to the detriment of our society, with alcoholism running rampant from people's search for the romanticism of the bottle.

That said, Hemingway's style was the real selling point, and still is. He pared down his prose to the limit. There's not an unneeded adjective in the book, nor any interior monologues. It was something he learned as a newspaper writer for the Kansas City Star. When this book first hit the shelves, it was something brand new in literature, and writing was never the same again.(less)
Joe I read this book for the first time when I was 14. I recall had no idea what was going on and found it pretty boring. Re-reading it now, as an adult, …moreI read this book for the first time when I was 14. I recall had no idea what was going on and found it pretty boring. Re-reading it now, as an adult, I can see why I didn't get it or like it. I don't think it's for kids.

So, unless you have a pretty sophisticated and precocious 12 year who can appreciate Hemingway's prose and is familiar with unrequited love, impotency, and fidelity or who has interest in the Paris cafe society lost generation of the Roaring 20s then I would say pass on it. (less)
Maureen Spengel Alcohol consumption, and the human response/reaction when under its influence is the narrative essence of this novel. So no, it did not put me off.
Jim O'Donnell The book's not much fun, the characters do come off as spoiled . . . but, they've all convened in this environment for a reason -- they've all checked…moreThe book's not much fun, the characters do come off as spoiled . . . but, they've all convened in this environment for a reason -- they've all checked out from some other part of their lives, they prefer this to what their lives elsewhere offer. I think their shared misery and confusion is really the currency of the book.

Personally, I'm good with it all because the book is only 200 pages. I'd feel differently if this same story continued for 400 or 500 pages. (less)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more