The Sun Also Rises

By: Ernest Hemmingway

Format:  Physical Book

Completed: 11/2/2023

What's it about:  An American ex-pat rolls around post WWII Paris drinking, staying out late, and dancing.  His war injuries have rendered his manhood useless (which Hemingway spends only a few sentences on.  I could have missed it if I didn’t read novel previews).  Likely a loose story of Hemingway himself post war, it tells the story of our narrator and a beautiful, troubled woman named Miss Brett Ashley. 

Main Takeaway: Hemingway’s dialogue is amazing.  Likely the first book I’ve ever read that was like this and you say, “Yeah, it makes sense this person became extremely famous a sa writer.”

He says everything while saying nothing.

There are many famous quotes from the book, including the interchange (often misquoted and misattribyted):

“How did you go bankrupt?”

“Gradually…. Then suddenly.”

Our protagonist, Jake, says as little in the novel as anyone.  You can sense his “cool” from no what he says but what he doesn’t say.

As Jake and Brett close the novel, Brett remarks how they would have been wonderful together.

Jake replies, “Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?”

Hemingway mic drop!