Thursday, November 17, 2016

Ten top books about the hostile ocean

Cynan Jones's latest book is Cove. One of his top ten books about the hostile ocean, as shared at the Guardian:
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway’s enduring classic is the book I’ve reread most often. It is a simple story of a Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish – until he hooks a giant marlin, far out off the coast of Florida.

It is an ancient, religious, fundamental story of epic struggle, of stubbornness against energy. It is also, for me, an example of the individual will to recognise achievement, regardless of witness. That said, every time I’ve read it, it’s affected me differently. That is its key power.
Read about another entry on the list.

The Old Man and the Sea is among Ross King's top ten books about old men, Jeff Somers's top ten books to read before traveling to Cuba, four books that changed Angelica Banks, Leo Benedictus's five best books for men who never read, Jung Chang's 6 favorite books, Kathryn Williams's thirteen best stories about pride, Scott Greenstone's twenty best books with fewer than 200 pages, Michael Palin's six favorite books, Robson Green's six best books, and Dave Boling's five best examples of how to structure a novel. N.M. Kelby has suggested that The Old Man and the Sea may be The Great Florida Novel.

--Marshal Zeringue