From the Lists: Manly Men Doing Manly Things Badly

Ernest Hemingway (1928)

After the European obtuseness of Joseph Conrad, Ernest Hemingway's terse masculine prose comes as a welcome relief for reading in the sun. Billed as the "quintessential novel of the lost generation," The Sun Also Rises (1926) is a debauched romp through Paris and Spain by American and English expats and tourists following the first world war.

In Hemingway's world, drunken evenings of bar hopping stretch into brisk mornings spent in cafes over coffee. Every meal is heartily satisfying. People do things. They love and break up. They fight and make up. Grudges are soon forgotten. Large sums of money are spent pursuing pleasures. The weather is sunny, cloudy, or rainy. Sentences are short and declarative. And perhaps in spite of the clipped writing style, Hemingway's world seems more rich and tactile than those of other writers who spend so much of their time setting a mood before anything actually happens. 

The novel is probably most well known for its depiction of the bull fights held during the festival of St. Fermin - including the practice of young men running with the bulls through the streets of Pamplona.  However, the pageantry of the bullfight and festival is simply the backdrop for broken relationships, bankruptcies, betrayals, and apathetic acceptance that occurs among a group of friends as they plan, prepare, and travel from Paris to Pamplona for the festival.

Since this novel is mostly told through either gossipy or drunk dialog, there is very little character exposition that is not tinged by jealousy or colored by feelings of unrealized love. And, much like an extended episode of Seinfeld, none of the characters learn or grow during their exploits. Everyone is pretty much in the same place developmentally as they were at the beginning of the novel. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed it so much. It is reminiscent of my younger days when things happened and people did things, but the copious amounts of alcohol lubricated our conversations and relationships.

On a side note, I do have a few connections with this novel including a visit to Hemingway's home in Key West, Florida. If you find yourself there with a few hours to spare, you should take the tour. It is well worth the money. Also, toward the end of the novel when Jake meets Brett in Madrid, they have a dinner of suckling pig accompanied by several bottles of rioja wine at Botin. I too have eaten this dinner. Yum! Ricisima!

Recommendation: Two thumbs up if you are looking for a fun book with no moral lesson - just guys doing guy stuff.