i read: To Have and Have Not

Because I had so much fun doing the last book review for you, I decided to do another.



One of my favourite authors is Ernest Hemingway. I love his style of writing, and the beautiful scenes he creates in an era I wish I could have lived. I recently borrowed "To Have and Have Not" and once again fell in love with this talented author.

This book centers around a man named Harry Morgan, a fishing boat captain working around the Florida Key. Harry is a hard working man, who gets thrown and few curve balls and this story follows his response over the course of a few years. Hemingway has a way of truly of drawing you into the story and making you really connect with the characters. Each chapter changes from who it is written from the perspective of, which gives you multiple angles for the story.

We lay offshore about a mile in the dark. The current had freshened up, with the sun down, and I noticed it running in. I could see the Morro light way down to the westward and the glow of Havana, and the lights opposite us were Rincon and Baracoa. I headed her up against the current until I was past Baruranao and nearly to Cajomar. Then I let her drift down. It was plenty dark but I could tell good where we were. I had all the lights out.
"What's it going to be, Harry?" Eddy asked me. He was beginning to be spooked again.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know," he said "You've got me worried."

Although this book is very racist, calling people 'niggers' and 'chinks', you can ignore that and still enjoy the story. When I finished the final chapter I was nearly in tears with such joy shared in this book. I know that sounds over the top, but this book was just beautiful.

If you have never read any work by Hemingway, you should also check out "The Sun Also Rises" and "The Old Man and the Sea"
-kim