A brief book, even for Hemingway, this is directly a metaphor for the struggle and loneliness of life. ( )

I picked up this novella in the library because I felt I ought to read some Hemingway. He is after all an iconic writer and I can certainly see why. This story of a fisherman is simple and elemental, with extraordinary power. Perhaps it is more striking to read in the 21st century, when the population of the developed world is wholly divorced from the means by which food appears in supermarkets. Moreover, fishing is now a highly industrialised, mechanised, large-scale process that has caused the collapse of many fish populations. The tale of a man fighting a fish on essentially equal terms seems like a glimpse into a more distant past than the date of publication (1952) would necessarily suggest.

Thus, although I imagine this was probably not Hemingway's intention, I found within 'The Old Man and the Sea' an interesting commentary on late-modern capitalism. (Then again, I have similar thoughts when observing the relative prices of tinned sweetcorn brands.) It is also a moving meditation on human interdependence, weakness, and strength. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye. ( )

Book 83
The Old Man and the Sea.
Ernest Hemingway.
We read this on holiday in Cuba. Thoroughly enjoyed it although if I had known the ending before I read it I would have assumed the book was totally pointless.... just shows.
9/10. ( )

A fun book forty years later second reading. ( )

The 1952 classic novella from EH was smooth and quickly read. Symbolizing so much it was more a powerful story of what man must do during his days on earth. To work and hope knowing that in the end it will not be enough and to keep working anyway because that is all we can do. I needed a clean read and EH always provides this literary sorbet. Read in the Scribner's classic Collier Books edition for the 3rd time. Great cover. ( )