The Old Man and the Sea

5W Ernest Hemingway. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1952. First Book Club Edition.

Notes

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is a short novel first published in 1952, telling the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who endures an epic struggle to catch a giant marlin after a long streak of bad luck. Alone at sea for days, Santiago battles the fish with quiet dignity and determination, seeing it not as an enemy but as a worthy opponent. When he finally catches the marlin, his victory is bittersweet, as sharks gradually strip the fish’s flesh during his return journey. The novel explores themes of perseverance, pride, isolation, and man's relationship with nature.

Widely praised for its simple yet powerful prose, the book marked a major comeback for Hemingway and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953. It was also a significant factor in his receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature the following year. The Old Man and the Sea is considered one of Hemingway’s greatest works and a defining example of his “iceberg theory” of writing—saying little, but meaning much beneath the surface.

A book club edition is a version of a book printed specifically for distribution through a book club, such as the Book-of-the-Month Club. These editions often differ from regular trade or first editions in subtle but important ways: they may lack a price on the dust jacket, use thinner paper, and have slightly different dimensions or binding materials.

Description

Navy binding with silver lettering to spine. Original jacket. Chipping to corners. Good condition.