Ernest Hemingway is one of America’s best writers. As a modernist – along with other fantastic prose artists like James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Gertrude Stein – he helped shape 20th century literature. And while he does have a number of books to his credit not all of them are the sort of masterpieces one would expect from such a literary giant. So, whether you are interested in indulging in Hemingway for the first time, or if you are trying to determine which of his novels to read next, here is a list of his best.
The Sun Also Rises
Spending time in both France and Spain, this subtle tale not only gives insight into the young and wealthy culture American ex-pats witnessed in Europe and Hemingway’s love of bull-fighting, but it also reveals the author’s ability to insert elements of love and insecurity into what is seemingly a good-time story. In true Hemingway style, Jake Barnes’s personal torments are masterfully revealed only through fleeting moments. This makes for a carefully balanced tale of reckless gallivanting and deep-rooted psychoses.
A Farewell to Arms
Based on Hemingway’s own experience in World War I as an ambulance driver for the Italian army, A Farewell to Arms is narrated by soldier Frederic Henry. Henry firsts introduces his position as one of levity, as he drinks wine and works on his Italian, but soon a dangerous rescue mission on the war-torn front leaves him severely injured. The rest of the novel then focuses on Henry’s relationship with a nurse named Catherine Barkley that meets in a hospital in Milan. Henry does return to the army after he recovers, but it is his relationship with Catherine that complicates the narrative and acts as a driving force.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Much like A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls is based on Hemingway’s own experiences covering the Spanish Civil War. In the novel an American named Robert Jordan travels to Spain to fight against fascist forces. Jordan is ordered to lead a covert mission with a small group of guerrillas. The mission involves blowing up a bridge, but quickly becomes complicated when Jordan learns that his own convictions may be stronger than those he has come to help and that he is falling in love with a Spanish native named Maria. Perhaps Hemingway’s most descriptive novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls investigates the pyschological pains of war more so than the physical. The characters are realistic and unique, rather than mere cardboard cutouts that can be cut down in battle.
A simple tale told with passion and clarity, The Old Man and the Sea revolves around an aging Cuban fisherman’s attempts to escape a fruitless season of fishing. Most of the novel revolves around the old man’s battle with a massive marlin on the open sea, his first catch in days. Hemingway’s terse prose works perfectly in this story, while the old man’s struggles speak volumes about adversity, aging, faith, the human spirit, and desperation.
A Moveable Feast
More memoir than novel, A Moveable Feast chronicles Hemingway’s early days as a writer in Paris. A number of short stories paint a fantastic portrait of Hemingway’s struggling early career as individuals like Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald pop up at various points. Hemingway is honest and interesting in his tales, giving insight into everything from his relationship with his first wife, to his writing, and love of food and wine.
