Anyone read it? Can I get a brief review of the book? I know the basic plot.

Thank you

Have I ever!!! Many times. It was published posthumously. Another of my favorites. I would have to say that my favorite part is in the 1st part 'Bimini' when taking his boys out on the boat he describes his rifle (a 1903 Mannlicher Shonauer in 6.5x54) as that little rifle with the 18" bbl. that they don't sell anymore encased in the oiled sheepskin case, etc. Typical Hemingway description in the master's form. Of course, I'm biased as that is my favorite rifle as well as being an old-time Hemingway aficionado. Truly, that half a page of the rifle description is worth the price of the book by itself. I know it's only my opinion but it's very true. READ THE BOOK!

Thank you. I will pick it up.

If you can't find it let me know, I might have another copy lying about. As I said the description of the rifle is PURE Hemingway. Although it was printed posthumously I found it one of my best-loved novels of his if for no other reason than as he said, "Write what you know + not too long thereafter." Good reading my friend + don't take to the gin too steady.

Agree 100%. Well worth the read.

On the gin, I am on my two day rule. I will have no alcohol for the next two days.

My birthday is August 29. Staring August 31, I will not have a drink until my hunt in Bulgaria is over.

It's a great book and the movie with George C. Scott is very good too. The scene with the shark and the "rummy" mate with the BAR is my favorite!

I bought the book.

The Old Man and the Sea was once the 4th and final act of the book. Hemmingway pulled it out and published it separately. Hudson is the Old Man. The connection is the Marlin. Hudson’s son hooks up to and looses a big Marlin. Decades later it comes back around.

I cannot wait. Should be here Thursday.

Well, Lowe, I found an extra copy but if you already ordered one c'est la vie. Although I like George C. Scott, I didn't like the movie that much. I guess I was expecting more. But I agree that the machine gun shooting of the shark was a high point in the film. When you get your copy look on page 82 for the description of the Mannlicher + 2 pages after that is the business with the shark.

NC: Thank you and no hard feelings. I did not want to just take yours. If that makes any sense. A real daiquiri and Islands in the Stream sounds like a great birthday.

Keep an eye on your mail.

Fuck a daiquiri amigo, you need to get is a "Papa Doubly"!!! as served at the Florentine bar. where there is still a cast bronze of Papa at the end of the bar. If you can't find it, the recipe is in the book of cocktail recipes via papa called " To have + have Another." Once again... go easy on the gin.

I do not know about the double,

But an E. Hemingway Special is right in the wheel house.

When the drink was named such, they misspelled Hemingway on the drink list.

I think there is a bottle in bond bourbon (do not know label) waiting at that bar for him to pick up. Now symbolically of course.

The book is in my hand. I am going to read a couple of chapters at diner tonight in Lexington.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
Fuck a daiquiri amigo, you need to get is a "Papa Doubly"!!! as served at the Florentine bar. where there is still a cast bronze of Papa at the end of the bar. If you can't find it, the recipe is in the book of cocktail recipes via papa called " To have + have Another." Once again... go easy on the gin.

Most people don’t like a true “no sugar” papa doble because it’s sour as hell.

The doble spelled like in the source material is a little heavy for me. But the E. Hemingway Special is right in the holster.

I know why NC insist on and cautions gin. 52 pages in and there are a lot of Tom Collins. Good thing I do not like carbonated water.

I have Mr. Bobby’s attitude to Gin Collins. Does anyone want to paint a hurricane?

As it says on the side of the bottle of Bombay Gin, Gin is a state of mind. How true.

I wish I could get ahold of the coconut water.

Let me look. I think they might sell it at my local grocery store. (HEB)

Coconut water is everywhere. It's real popular as a rehydration drink after working out. LHeym, are you in Kroger territory? Check the organic section of their stores or other chains.

Never thought about it as a mixer.

Nearest Kroger is in Richmond. About 1.5 up interstate. I will stop in next week.

We have two Walmart’s but no cocoanut water.

Richmond is pretty much a suburb of Lexington, so they should have it. Maybe I can get a coconut.

I just googled the Walmart site and they show various coconut water products. I then put in the closest store to me to check inventory. It showed some in stock. You might want to take a second look online at the store nearest you. I'm not sure where in the grocery department it is located but you might have missed it.

PS. What are making and how are you using it? I'm definitely a fan of rum. Did the Mount Gay tour and tasting last year in Barbados.

The drink has been dubbed Green Issac. It is a combination of Coconut water, gin, and lime juice over ice.

The book Islands in He Stream does not break down a preparation. However, the book To Have and Have Another which is a deconstruction of Hemmingway and his characters through the drinks he wrote about gives preparation or ratios.

When I make one I will let you know. You have to understand how pitiful our grocery is here. That is why I drive to Lexington and a Knoxville all the time. I will look again though. I will be up I75 soon enough to get to a civilized grocery.

I did stop by our Walmart store this afternoon. It has a large grocery department. The coconut water is in the Hispanic food section. Couple of brands. Goya was one of them. Very common brand in Hispanic grocery stores.

Good luck. Keep us posted on your cocktail experimentation.

I could not help but laugh when I read Hispanic Food Section. We barely have name brand bologna.

Please take this as friends talking. It is not my intent to sound like a smart ass.

I am sure Richmond will have some. If not, Lexington has a Whole Foods.

I will report on the drink with ratios.

Mr. Davis has just reunited with Aubrey.

The sentences are PG, but the lust is just seeping. I had my wife read it. Hemmingway at his best. I only have 8 pages left in the First Act/Book.

I know the emotional roll a coasters will only go down hill from here.

HA! No problem. Good luck.

"Name brand bologna!" That's rich! Yeah, down here we have a very large Tejano influence + we have mucho bodegas that deal in Mexican everything. I'm white but I am a Tejano because I just am + I speak their lingo + when you do you will find a new world opens up for you in the Mexican community. It is a very rich culture + totally alien to Anglo ways of thought. Pisses me off sometimes when I am in my American mode + they are in the 'manana' mode. I just have to stop + breathe.... + NEVER hire those guys again.

I have the book Que , finishing Out of Africa.

Maybe Hemingway is next .

quote:

Originally posted by swaincreek:
I have the book Que , finishing Out of Africa.

Maybe Hemingway is next .

How long you want that book queue to get? I have an ass-load of recommendations...

FYI , OoA is one of my very favorites. I had the opportunity to sit at those millstone tables a few months ago.

I have finished the Cuba section and almost halfway through the 3rd Act. Papa, I mean Tom Hudson, just fuels up to chase down the Germans.

The Bimini Act is my favorite of the three so far, followed by the third act At Sea that I am reading now.

One old critic I have of Hemingway came up in the Cuba Act, sometimes I cannot tell who is speaking the dialogue. This is because Hemingway will abandon conventional cues of written dialogue, and rely upon Paragraphs. Sometimes the next paragraph is the same speaker. When you have three or more characters engaging I sometimes lose who is doing the speaking.

I strongly recommend this Book. Like I said, the Bimini Act is perfect.

The Old Man and the Sea was originally the final Act of the Book. Hemingway pulled it out and published it separate.

Lowe, the possibility exists that the discrepancies exist because the book was printed posthumously + he had not finished writing it; someone else came in + finished it. Another reason why the Bimini part 1 is so much more of his writing. Still a damned good read.

I wonder which Hemmingway wife Tom’s mother is based on?

The whole book is great, and strongly recommend. I just enjoyed Bimini more. Of course it is a happier time for Tom Hudson at least right until the end. Truly perfect Hemmingway.

Cuba is not bad, just not my favorite. I love the ending. At Sea is better, but still not Bimini.

The worst part of this book is I will be finished with it by Monday. I will re-read it often.

I will set down to read a few pages, and before I know it the time is 200 am. I have read 100 pages. Can’t get better than that.

The Third Act has just gone good to great. I read pages 400-415 tonight. 360 to 415 tonight.

Tom decides to run and box in the Germans in a shallow canal. He runs the boat into the mud. He is setting on top of the Bridge, and he sees the fowl he and is father use to hunt, He calls the folk like he did as a boy.

He sees the grotesque when individual, but beautiful as a flock, of flamingos. Then they turn hard to the right as they are flying in. Tom being a hunter knows the German turtle boat has spooked them off their landing.

He makes sure his men are fed. Tom the artist allows himself to enjoy the flamingos.

The much maligned Peters achieves humanity only to die. Wilie’s prior jackass, idiocy is brought to a fine edge of who he is, and he all his flaws make him necessary.

I love the line,”I hope they get back. I do not want to fight the battle of No Name Key by myself.”

These pages have brought the prior pages of At Sea Act in focus.

The anticlimactic, dogging, flat out trying chase is givening us the pay off. You feel the relief of this is going to end the characters are feeling.

It is a great read, 'one true sentence' as it were. Again I envy you the privilege of reading it for the 1st time. Check out my post here on "A splendid Savage". Notwithstanding the rest of my opinionated report, you might find the Hemmingway inference interesting.

I am looking for it,

My daughter gave me Islands in the Stream a few years ago. It was full of great material and the depths of despair. Typical for Hemingway but hard at times for the reader.

Can someone who grew up around water tell me what a Key actually is? I always thought it was a chain of small islands?

Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Can someone who grew up around water tell me what a Key actually is? I always thought it was a chain of small islands?

Thank you.

I always thought a key or Caye sat on coral.

I, with great reluctance, finished the last 20 pages.

Conclusion to this thread. Great book.

I've always loved 'Islands in the Stream', but I like most of Hemingway's stuff. Might be surprising, but one of my favorites is 'A Moveable Feast' about his time in Paris in the '20's. I've been to Les Deux Magots where he used to hang out. It's still there. Last time I was there, I was sitting at a table on the sidewalk and shared half my ham sandwich with an unescorted pit bull who clearly had puppies. She was most gracious.

And then you can go to mass at the oldest church in Paris, directly across the street.