The Old Man and the Sea

Title: The Old Man and the Sea
Author: Ernest Hemingway

Dates: From 2/20/09 - 2/21/09

Notes:
A quick read (a novella), but still a great story. This book is a tale of an old Cuban fisherman who has had bad luck over the past few months, but soon goes out on a skiff and lands a huge Marlin. The story is the struggle of his luck and defeat with this fish, when it is the biggest fish ever seen but eaten by sharks on his near-death struggle to get it back in.

The importance of this book for me is the simplicity and shortness in which it is written. There is no excessively figurative/descriptive language; the sentences are brief and to the point. However, the story is so engaging and vivid, you forget the simplicity of the writing style. Many writers seem to try to define their style through certain tones or figurative ways that are somewhat unique. This writer does none of that; he has a story to tell, and he tells it well.

A great reference on writing a story, and a great example on how to put the emphasis on the story instead of a unique writing style.

Rating: 9.0

http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Sea-E-Hemingway/dp/B000RC9Z5W/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235504759&sr=1-15