The Old Man and the Sea

Hemingway delivered his last masterpiece with this book, a cultural phenomenon when first published in the early '50s: in an unprecedented move, Life Magazine published the novella in its entirety,recognizing that Hemingway, the most influential writer of 20th century American literature and then a world-wide celebrity, had delivered a long-awaited masterful story. The Life magazine edition sold more than 5 million copies in a week so this book reached tens of millions of people within days - not many authors can achieve that! And that's before becoming a much beloved story translated into scores of languages. It is fair to say that this book, which won the Pullitzer Prize, reignited the interest and respect for Hemingway as a serious writer and might have been the decisive factor for his Nobel Prize award.It is so disappointing when people say that story is boring and has too much simbolism... if you have experience fishing or sailing or simply appreciating the sea and nature, then the book offers a marvellous account of man AND nature (not man vs. nature). As for the simbolism, don't dwell too much on it. Hemingway himself said that the book is about "an old man, a boy, a fish and the sea", but if the story is told well enough (as it is on this book) it can mean so much more.And the story is indeed so much more, in no small part because of the inherent goodness of the old man. That's how I enjoy and interpret the book: it is a straightforward tale of an old man embracing the struggles and rewards of life with courage, dignity and still full of the human spirit. Santiago is one of the most dignified characters in Literature, and I have to say he is my favorite and a bit of a personal hero... the old fisherman strives to be the best he can be and do the best he can do... he does not complain of his living in poverty, do not blame others for anything. His spirit is big, generous, undefeated. While other Hemingway heroes might have disappointed some people by way of too much machismo, Santiago keeps all the best traits of courage, resilience and non-nonsense survivalism, while displaying more maturity and humility - perhaps reflecting the middle-age wisdom of the author (then is his fifties).Hemingway story-telling skills are at his best here. I am a big fan of his style, particularly in the short-story format, but here he is astounding all the way. yeah, the prose is deceptively simple at first, but if you pay attention we can see the craft of a master. The opening sentence alone is formidable and could only be delivered by a master of the short-story format. Ihe last sentence is also wonderful and pure Hemingway- simple but infinitely deep, and in this story hopeful and bitter-sweet.In between, Hemingway writes with uncanny power,in such a way that you can fully experience what the character is going through: first you see what the old man does, from mundane tasks and spadework to the excitement of the deep-sea hunt and the exhausting struggle, and in the process you start to think the way Santiago thinks and finally you are feeling the way he feels. It is magical if you only give it a try. Granted, it is easier to immerse into this story if you are familiar with the ways of fishing and the ocean, but in any case, when Santiago is alone in the boat looking at the sea creatures or at the night-sky... I guess the recognition of the infinite solitude of human condition, mitigated by the bonding with the life and the world around us, that is truly universal.I am so glad that such a sweet, simple, timeless story became the classic that it is. You have to try this one too!

Absorbing read. Who won the battle? Many lessons learned and reasons to re read this classic . loved it! Recommended.

I like it. But there were some spelling and grammar errors. I like Hemmingway's simple style of writing. He is an incredible writer!

Hemingway’s descriptive genius flows in this wonderful Short Story. After several moves I finally lost my original. I reread it again for the very first time.

The point is man, having intelligence and an excess of will, and perhaps not the ability, nobility, and beauty of other creatures, can go too far, and when he does, nature will humble him, cutting off his excesses and defeating or destroying his temporary successes and triumphs over it. The plot is simple and there is no great critical moment. The story has symmetry. At its center is the fisherman’s hooking the great and noble fish. The first half is the history of the old man, his relationship with a young boy who aspires to be a fisherman, the old man’s bad luck which split the boy and man (the old man had taken no fish for 84 days, so the boy was not with the old man during this fishing trip), the old man’s bad luck that inspires him to take his skiff far out near the Gulf Stream and fish deep for a big fish. In the background is the old man’s dream, originating from his history and travel to Africa; Lions on the beach, guarding it and playing. The second half is first the endurance and tricks of the old man to outlast and kill the great Marlin, and second, his unsuccessful effort to protect the corpse of the Marlin from a variety of sharks. In the end the old man returns with nothing but the head and skeleton of the Marlin. The book concludes with a remark by the only woman in the book; she asks about the skeleton, and as the waiter answers her to tell her the story of sharks eating the Marlin, she jumps to the silly and false conclusion that the skeleton is that of a beautiful shark. I found that the narrative style smoothly and arrestingly carried the tale; the story was not told in the first person; the narrator was not a part of the cast; the narration peered into the mind of the old man, as did his talking to himself, the young boy, the Marlin.

Loved this book, such a classic. This is a great hard copy to have in hand and read before bed every night. Great value thanks Amazon!

I binged this book in two hours (or so). Some of the most memorable Hemingway quotes come from here.Worth reading if you ever want to get into Hemingway

É um livro de fácil entendimento com um vocabulário muito simples. Recomendo para quem está começando a praticar seu inglês. Já um leitor mais avançado, recomendaria obras um pouco mais complexas. Mesmo assim, foi uma boa experiência.

Me gusto el paralelismo de la historia con la lucha y esfuerzo que muchos tenemos que hacer en la vida para lograr lo que deseamos. El pez es el objetivo, lo que deseamos, la cuerda y la lancha, los recursos, el mar, las circunstancias, lo tiburones, los obstáculos, el niño, un apoyo, un amigo.

Long overdue read ,charming book which keeps you captivated from start to finish,a classic everyone should read at least once

The Old Man and the Sea is like a masterclass in resilience and the raw power of nature! Hemingway's simple yet profound storytelling takes you on a journey with Santiago, an old fisherman determined to prove his worth against the might of the sea. Sure, it's a short read, but every word packs a punch. You'll feel the salty spray on your face and the strain of the fishing line as if you're right there beside Santiago on his epic struggle. It's a tale of courage, perseverance, and the indomitable spirit of humanity. So if you're looking for a classic that'll tug at your heartstrings, dive into this gem of a book!