Islands in the Stream

While on the way back from Princeton, I finished Hemingway's late book Islands in the Stream. I'm having a difficult time forgetting this one. I may not refer to it as my favorite novel but I'm close to doing so. If I was to judge a book entirely on the manner in which it moves me, then I would rank it as the best. Islands in the Stream is a tale about Thomas Hudson's nautical life off the coast of Cuba. Images of loss, heartache, loneliness, and adventure come to mind as I reflect on this classic piece of literature. His attention to detail is unlike today's pop culture writers. Hemingway is able to make the reader understand what hunting for a turtle boat in the mangroves is like without using many adjectives. He simply puts you there. He is also allows the reader to gather what Hudson's emotions are like by what he experiences. Therefore, one can understand his motivations for doing something as strange as hunting down German submarines in a sailboat. Ultimately, I find myself envious of Thomas Hudson's character but at the same time thankful that I am nothing like him. Hudson has constructed a life which revolves around sailing, romantic love, painting, and alcohol. Sounds like a splendid life upon first glance. But in the end, the reader is left with wishing him something more.