by Ernest Hemingway
originally published in 1952 by Scribner Paperback Fiction
Summary: More than anything this is a bit of a character study of an old fisherman, his relationship with the ocean, a young boy and a fish. We don't even learn his name, Santiago, until the very end of the story. He is a fisherman who has not caught a fish in 85 days, but just like everyday he gets up in the morning heading out with the hope of catching one today. He decides to go into deep water and hooks the biggest fish he has every caught. Man and fish battle for days on end, but the meat of the story isn't about whether or not he actually catches the fish. It is about him and his life, his faith, his relationships with others and the ocean.
Review: This is by far Hemingway's most acclaimed book having been awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and it playing a large part in his award of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954. To this day it is required reading for many high school and college students, as it continues to open a window for us into brilliant writing, a captivating view of a culture and a resounding commentary on life. One cannot help but connect with the old man as he puts one foot in front of the other to get through this day of life. Even though he has not caught a fish in 85 days, he continues to go out because he is a fisherman and fisherman fish. Our lives are the same, we do what we do, day in and day out, because that is who we are. Like the old man we worry about God, calling on His help and looking for His blessing; we look at our past and wonder if we have made mistakes along the way; we dip deep inside ourselves to find the reserves to accomplish what we need to accomplish and in the end we discover the futility of it all when all we do is pursue life for the sake of life. As I have re-read this masterpiece, especially through a theological lens, what I have found is a modern day Ecclesiastes. This is a book that masterfully captures the futility that life seems to have, but leaves us with the hope of tomorrow.
Reading Recommendation: Yes. Really this is probably a recommendation for most of us to re-read this classic. The first time I read it was high school and I muscled through it to get it done only because it was required. The second time was in college, same scenario; but this time, reading for no other purpose than enjoyment and reconnecting with such a classic I found the book to be engaging in a way I had never experienced before. Give it a first, second or third look; you won't be disappointed.
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