New York : Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995, c1952.
1st Scribner Paperback Fiction ed.
127 p. ; 21 cm.
Was it really 1978 when I last read this short novel? The great thing is that I remember liking the book as a 10th grader, and yet still enjoyed it quite a lot these many years later.
There is much to admire in this stripped down fable of human dignity confronting age and the forces of nature. Hemingway writes with an intimate familiarity of the the sea and the travails of deep sea fishing. He writes with compassion for the poor who struggle to make a living off of their labors, for the aged who are pushed aside by failure and infirmity, for the young who respect the wisdom of the aged, and for nature that gives and takes from humanity.
It's really an amazing accomplishment how much texture and depth Hemingway is able to bring to an almost embarrassingly simple narrative: old fisherman who has run out of luck lands the fish of his life, loses it to sharks and enters the realm of legend by bringing back evidence of his catch.
This novel continues to see moderate circulation in our library. I think it offers an accessible way into the work of Hemingway for young people, whereas his more adult novels like Farewell to Arms can feel like alien territory to a young reader.
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