Please help me with this surprising book quandary

[Karin]

While I really liked The Old Man and the Sea both times I read it and those were nearly 40 years apart (the first time I was quite young), I cannot remember if I have read any other books by Ernest Hemingway.

Given that I do not like Steinbeck or Salinger, do those of you who like these three authors (or some of them) think it's possible I might like more Hemingway? If so, where should I start, Bear in mind that I hated The Catcher in the Rye and may never have read another Salinger, and that despite the beautiful prose, I hated Of Mice and Men as well as The Grapes of Wrath nor did I like Cannery Row. do you think there is hope that I might like more Hemingway???

[Nicole R]

I have zero help because I loathe Hemingway, appreciate Steinbeck, and gave not read Salinger.

I will say that if you try more Hemingway, I recommend NOT reading For Whom the Bell Tolls.

[Anita]

I like all three of these authors (love Steinbeck, like Salinger, like Hemingway). Personally, I've read three other Hemingways beyond The Old Man and the Sea, and frankly none of the others are really like that one.

If you want to give it a shot, I would go with The Sun Also Rises. But frankly, I am thinking you aren't going to like further Hemingway.

[Barbara M]

I would have said The Sun Also Rises too.

[Karin]

Thanks, all. Anita, you may well be correct, but if I do read a Hemingway for any reason (say, a tag or a reading challenge) I''l know to skip For Whom the Bell Tolls and maybe do The Sun Also Rises.

it's a shame, really, that I can't like at least one of those three authors, but c'est la vie.

[Anita]

Karin wrote: "Thanks, all. Anita, you may well be correct, but if I do read a Hemingway for any reason (say, a tag or a reading challenge) I''l know to skip For Whom the Bell Tolls and maybe do The Sun Also Rise..."

Salinger I understand, but Steinbeck is an interesting one to dislike. I wonder why you don't care for him if you don't mind sharing . . .

[Jenni Elyse]

The only book I've read by Steinbeck is East of Eden. I didn't like it at first, but around Chapter 20 it became very profound because of the religious subject matter, which I have a lot of interest in. Then, the whole story just opened up for me. If you're not into that type of novel, then I wouldn't suggest reading it either. But, if you are, I'd definitely give it a try.

[Karin]

Anita wrote: "Karin wrote: "Thanks, all. Anita, you may well be correct, but if I do read a Hemingway for any reason (say, a tag or a reading challenge) I''l know to skip For Whom the Bell Tolls and maybe do The..."

His writing is phenomenal and I want to like him. My 18 year old daughter doesn't understand why I don't like The Grapes of Wrath, which we read at similar ages, but also didn't like Of Mice and Men.

While I love beautiful writing and would read that almost exclusively if I could, I want some glimmer of hope somewhere or something. Plus, I took beautiful writing for granted as a teen (but didn't only read that) because our house was filled with books that were beautifully written. I found Grapes started of depressing and ended off more depressing, As for Of Mice and Men, I just didn't like most of the characters and found part of it totally unbelievable even in the context of the story.

Now, I don't think I continued reading him after that. If he has a book that has hope that you think I might like, I'll give his books one more chance.

Also, it's entirely possible I read others of his but don't remember. I've forgotten most of what I read in my early years. I even forgot I had read The Good Earth until I was well into a reread when I had my then homeschooling eldest read it for English when I and came across a scene I remembered. I'd been suspecting I might have read it prior to the scene, but not when I started the reread.

[Book Concierge]

If you want "some hope" stay away from Hemingway. I personally like his writing for the visceral quality of it. I hated The Catcher in the Rye. And I adore Steinbeck (though I wasn't a big fan of Cannery Row)

Anyway ... if you absolutely, positively need to read Hemingway for some challenge, I'd suggest one of his short story collections - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories is quite good - especially the audio which is narrated by Charlton Heston. Or you might like his memoir A Moveable Feast.

[Hope]

Hm I'm with Nicole on Hemingway most of the time but I did appreciate The Snows of Kilimanjaro. I agree that might be a good place to start.

[Karin]

Okay, that might work.

[Sarah]

No help either.I hate Steinbeck, and the Hemingway that I have read was OK. Salinger is of interest to me though.