Helpful Score: 6
Great, short read. I love Hemingway and once again, so much happens with so little action. I never would have thought that a story about a man fishing out at sea could keep me entertained for 150 pages! I definitely recommend reading it!
Helpful Score: 3
Classic story of man vs nature that is laced with deeper meaning. Works as an adventure story and a story to make you think of your place in the world and the parallels in your life. Quick read, but powerful.
Helpful Score: 1
Classic story about human perserverance.
Helpful Score: 1
I picked up this classic and I read it in a day, its pretty short. It was enjoyable and really reflective of the period in which Hemingway wrote. It's clear, and simple to understand. It may be lacking action and a brilliant storyline but is a simple novel that is pretty memorable.
Helpful Score: 1
This is the only work of Ernest Hemingway I found profound and worth reading; I wonder if he was sober when he wrote it.
Helpful Score: 1
An all-time great story that everyone should read! A very short read.
Helpful Score: 1
I had to read this for school but I ended up really liking it. Good story.
Helpful Score: 1
Hemingway is brilliant in this novel. His creativity with language turns the ordinary tale of an old fisherman at sea into a epic quest for survival and triumph over nature.
Helpful Score: 1
A true classic written by one of America's greatest literary heroes
Helpful Score: 1
Timeless classic. Great for young adults and adults
Beautiful gift copy. I think that Hemingway 's story is part fiction and part truth. He fished and spied in a boat around Cuba and lived there before World WarII. This story is an analogy of man and his constant fight with nature to stay alive. Well written in short concise sentences.But the man in the story was blessed to come away with his life. The analogy here do not take on more than you can handle.
Hardback Classic
A real classic, excellent story, far better than the movie.
Now that you can read if for leisure, and not for school, you'll enjoy this short novella more. This is supposedly what won him the Nobel Prize.
This is a quick read that makes you continue to think long after you have set the book down. I especially enjoyed this book since I like fishing, but a person who has never touched a line to the water can still take a lot away from this work.
A really classic novel of a lone fisherman in Cuba before the time of Castro and his struggle to bring in a huge fish. Crisp, unambiguous prose, awe inspiring.
I just read this last fall and its great. bravo.
It was great. This book should win an award or something.
Did your English teacher(s) ever tell you that fiction can be divided into 3 basic conflicts - person vs. person, person vs. nature, and person vs. his- or herself? And further, that there's only like one or two good examples of person vs. nature, and they were both written by Jack London? Oh, and that some fiction will fit into more than one category, and just about all good literature will fit into 'person versus his- or herself' in addition to the others?
Did it ever occur to you, as it did to me many years later, what a stupid categorization system that is, when basically nothing is one category, and everything is at least in another?
Old Man and the Sea reminded me of that. The struggle, as it is in all Hemingway, is not to win, but to acquit yourself well.
Did your English teacher(s) ever tell you that fiction can be divided into 3 basic conflicts - person vs. person, person vs. nature, and person vs. his- or herself? And further, that there's only like one or two good examples of person vs. nature, and they were both written by Jack London? Oh, and that some fiction will fit into more than one category, and just about all good literature will fit into 'person versus his- or herself' in addition to the others?
Did it ever occur to you, as it did to me many years later, what a stupid categorization system that is, when basically nothing is one category, and everything is at least in another?
Old Man and the Sea reminded me of that. The struggle, as it is in all Hemingway, is not to win, but to acquit yourself well.
I just could not keep my interest in this story ... I couldn't even finish the thing!! It was sooo boring, to me, and I hate saying that because it's Hemingway .. but it's the truth as far as I am concerned! :)
Excellent book about an old man and how he battles with the world.
hemingway. what else can i say?
I have enjoyed other books by Hemingway, but not this one. Famous and widely-praised though it may be, it simply bored me. Bored me so much that I feel distaste when I even hear of it.
I know this is a classic and I have every reason to love it, but I could not get into it. I gave it a good shot, I promise. It may be a matter of not being in the mood right now, I will give it another shot like I've done for others that everyone but me seems to love. The language was too flowery, the movement was too slow, it was too moody. I still think it's probably a great book, but I didn't love it.
I have to admit that I didn't really "get" this book.
The symbolism in this book was incredible. A true treasure.
One of the best books read. Read it to my son at 7 he still remembers it at 18.
I listened to the version of this book read by Donald Sutherland. His voice was perfect for this novella. This is a quick easy read with deep parallels to life's up and downs, and the message that perseverance pass off, but sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for. I jokingly told my husband it should've been called "Santiago and the Fish...The End" because that's literally what it's about. But all kidding aside, I get the depth of the story. A classic for the ages.
Not my favorite...though it is a short story, it could have been a shorter story. It drug out for me...I've liked some of his other novels better.
This is a small novella but it packs a big punch! I love Hemingway's style of writing and his message is a good one. Be persistent in what you pursue and you will eventually achieve that goal. Great story!
Read as a kid, reread now. Still a great story. Flows, short, says a lot without trying to. Amazing book.
I love teaching this book! It is full of symbolism and students must think critically to imagine Sanjtiago's life.
I could not honestly get into this book. I was supposed to read it in school, but just couldn't make myself. Hope you have better luck.
I was bored to tears. Hemingway is an outstanding author though.
read in high school. Is on my students' reading list.
So I just finished The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway. Slacker that I am, I had never read it. I must say the book towed me in from the first few paragraphs and I read it in a few big gulps. Bravo, Ernest! No wonder you won so many awards.
A classic must read.
classic book
I read this book many many years ago. It was mandatory reading when I was in school. Decided to re-read it. While still very good with strong descriptions of the characters and scenery, I now found it tedious. Hemingway drew out the story long beyond where he could/should have ended it. After a while it simply became repetitive. If you haven't read it, you should. It's a classic.
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Thank you,
Karin
Thank you,
Karin
