A few months ago, I went to a bookstore with a friend of mine. We stumbled upon the book 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die. After perusing the selection, I realized that I have covered a majority of the 1800s, but have read hardly anything from the 1900s. I know, right? That seems sort of backward, but that's how it goes.
This was originally on the required reading list for my American Novel class, but as it was required, I obviously didn't get very far. That's generally how it works for me. The book is assigned, I find it far too tedious to finish, read it afterwards and loved it. See: Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, Camelot, Welcome to the Monkey House and now, The Sun Also Rises.
This was Hemingway's first novel. It shifts from Paris to various parts of Spain and is narrated by Jake Burns, an American journalist living in 1920s France. Oddly enough, Hemingway was an American journalist living in France during the 1920s. Sorry, back to the story.
Jake Burns is in love with an Englishwoman named Brett Ashley who represents the sexual freedom of the decade with her bobbed hair and frequent love affairs. But he's not the only one who is in love with Brett over the course of the story. This fact alone is essentially what sort of sets most of the events of the story in motion. The story winds through France and Spain, as well as practically every emotion.
Having tried to read Hemingway in high school, I wasn't necessarily his biggest fan. However, after reading this one, I managed to buy three more and actually anticipate reading them. There is certainly something in this story for everyone.
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