Book: The Old Man and the Sea
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Reviewed by: Gene Kansas, Cultural Developer, Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate
I first read The Old Man and the Sea as a lower school student in New Orleans and picked it up again – at 50 – off a shelf in my father’s study on a recent trip home. My fifth-grade signature is proudly displayed on the inside cover. What made the novella much more poignant this go-round is that I read it to my 9-year-old son, a boy who is taking it all in and learning much.
Written in 1952, the book intertwines the lives and fate of an old man and a marlin. The old man is in the battle of his life against destiny and a fish. The fish is fighting for his life against an old man and fate. What binds them together is a fishing line and the struggle. And, because both must win, both will lose. Sound familiar?
The Old Man and the Sea won the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but its verity persists in the modern day. War in the Middle East, in Russia and Ukraine, and political dysfunction here in the United States are no different than Hemingway’s epic struggle on the open sea. I took time while reading to my son to explain why winning doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve won. Hemingway’s simple structure and straightforward writing were a joy to revisit, and it helped get across what I’m hoping will be a lesson Levi will remember as he gets older.
I recommend reading this book to, with, and for readers of all ages and all worldviews.
Editor’s notes: Global Atlanta will receive a 10 percent commission on any purchase of this book through the links on this page.
Each year, Global Atlanta asks influential readers and community leaders to review the most impactful book they read during the course of the year. This endeavor has continued annually since 2010.
See last year’s full list of books on BookShop here, and all 2022 reader picks here.
All books were chosen and reviews written independently, with only mild editing from our staff.