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Average Customer Rating:

Still my favourite book

Customer Rating:

I don't know what is about Fiesta that captivates me so much but I have to say that, along with The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano, this is my favourite book ever. In a way, it reminded me of my life in Portugal when all I and my friends did was drink and chase girls. One of my so-called-friends actually reminds me a lot of one of the characters, Robert Cohn. Its a simple story but so well told and it is a book that I read once every two-three years. A masterpiece. The movie version isn't so bad as well.

Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises

Customer Rating:

'Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises' is the first Hemingway book I read many years ago and is one i've recently re-read. Partly autobiographical and based on his time in Paris, this book showcases Hemingways style perfectly. Short, well crafted sentences that portray the full feeling in any given scene without you realising how deeply you are being affected. You get a sense of feeling of the characters without truly knowing them, which is kind of true of life and a unique talent Hemingway shares. The book builds in tension as the group of friends move to Pamplona for the fiesta and bull running until it reaches it's climax. The end is in no way earth shattering, but a true example of human nature and the mistakes that we make that plague us so. I tend to feel that there are other Hemingway books to try first (Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls) but as the first book of his I read, this has a special place in my heart and is definitely well worth a read to immerse yourself in the style and book that truly made him famous. If you enjoy this then try 'A Moveable Feast' which is the memoirs of his time in Paris and a wonderful read.

The Sun Also Rises	Customer Rating:
Its pretty clear from the reviews being published here that you either love him or hate him. This tale of this book is that it isn't really a tale. Its like a camera filming these wealthy Americans drinking away in Paris and Spain. Each one has their own background and problems.

Boozy fun

Customer Rating:

The book ends with Brett, the fascinating female of the book, warning Jake not to get drunk as he camly finishes 5 bottles of Rioja Alta. And that's an apt way to conclude the novel, which, all the way through, makes alcohol an essential feature. Jake and his friends travel to Spain to watch a bullfight, but really it just seems an excuse to sit outside bars and drink, nearly all of the time. Drunken arguments and fights ensue, as the men fight for Brett's heart. Brett herself is an elegant, witty English girl. One of her most memorable lines is when she says that she never got involved with the church becuase she 'hasn't got the face for it' - one cannot help but agree. She is a beacon of sophistication and attractiveness among more feeble and clumsy men. Only her fiance is able to further add some interest.

What's the use of getting sober ...

Customer Rating:

A group of rich ex-patriate Americans and Brits get drunk, get bored, squabble, make up and get drunk again in Paris and Spain, and mostly have a thoroughly rotten time except for moments of excitement watching the bullfights or fishing. Hemingway's first successful novel is very literal and repetitive - his descriptions tell it like it is with little left for the imagination. His dialogue is arch and repetitive (sorry for repeating myself!), but exactly like real conversations when you're 'tight' and can't remember what you just said. However the bonds of friendship are strong as is the lure of the bottle, and the group emerge to do it all again. Of course it's totally un-PC by today's standards, but it was fascinating, and I hate to say it but I enjoyed it.