I have never really been a great fan of Hemingway but from time to time I feel I need to read him and reacquaint myself with his style. I stumbled across this book in a charity shop and scanned it and decided it was time to exhume Ernest again.
This was the novel he was writing when he died and is about the decaying life of an American artist, Thomas Hudson.
The first part entitled “Bimini” covers his life in retreat and relationships with the people around him. It describes what appears to be an idyllic life style of a successful artist surrounded by good friends, his visiting three sons and copious amounts of alcohol. The alcohol being a general theme throughout this book! It ends with the news of the death of two of his sons. The second part “Cuba” describes Hudson’s life now on the island whilst completing reconnaissance missions for the navy. His decent into alcohol and disillusionment as he now hears of the death of his third son. The last part “At Sea” is the final part of Hudson decent as he chases German marauders between the islands before finally succumbing in the final few pages himself.
There was a forth part written about a Cuban fisherman but it was decided that it didn’t really follow the others so Hemingway took it out. Good job too as this was published as “The Old man and the Sea”.
Not sure about Hemingway then I would whole heartedly recommend this book as a real “page turner” together with the “Old Man and the Sea”
Welcome to English Men's Book Club home of english reading in the Aude
The Men's Book Club
No this is not Adult reading but a response to the current book club exclusively for the "Ladies that lunch". As the ladies tend to have their book club during the day when us chaps are normally working we thought it might be fun to have ours during the evenings.
Most of us who have chosen to live in France want to be part of the French cultural scene and work hard to be so. However as non native speakers it is very difficult to understand, read and fully appreciate the nuances of French literature, though that does not mean we don't try.
So we have formed a local book club to continue to explore our native English literature to which all are welcome.
Jan 2010 - A Rose for Winter (1955) by Laurie Lee Feb 2010 - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning (1969) by Laurie Lee March 2010 - Round the Bend by Neville Shute April 2010 - A Man in Full (1998) by Tom Wolfe
So want to know more about Domaine de Planalvy and what life is like here then check us out at http://www.domainedeplanalvy.com/ to discover our home and business.
"Islands in the Stream" by Ernest Hemingway
ReplyDeleteI have never really been a great fan of Hemingway but from time to time I feel I need to read him and reacquaint myself with his style. I stumbled across this book in a charity shop and scanned it and decided it was time to exhume Ernest again.
This was the novel he was writing when he died and is about the decaying life of an American artist, Thomas Hudson.
The first part entitled “Bimini” covers his life in retreat and relationships with the people around him. It describes what appears to be an idyllic life style of a successful artist surrounded by good friends, his visiting three sons and copious amounts of alcohol. The alcohol being a general theme throughout this book! It ends with the news of the death of two of his sons.
The second part “Cuba” describes Hudson’s life now on the island whilst completing reconnaissance missions for the navy. His decent into alcohol and disillusionment as he now hears of the death of his third son.
The last part “At Sea” is the final part of Hudson decent as he chases German marauders between the islands before finally succumbing in the final few pages himself.
There was a forth part written about a Cuban fisherman but it was decided that it didn’t really follow the others so Hemingway took it out. Good job too as this was published as “The Old man and the Sea”.
Not sure about Hemingway then I would whole heartedly recommend this book as a real “page turner” together with the “Old Man and the Sea”