#95 in Classics
The Old Man and the Sea
- 133
- Pages
- about 2.5 h
- Reading time
- Film 1958 +2
- On screen
- Nobel Prize
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
- Bancarella Literary Prize
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About the book
The Old Man and the Sea is a 1952 novella by the American author Ernest Hemingway. Written between December 1950 and February 1951, it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his lifetime. It tells the story of Santiago, an aging fisherman, and his long struggle to catch a giant marlin.
On screen
This book has been adapted for the screen 3 times — from 1958 to 1999.
Adaptation data: Wikidata · On screen →
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.4 across 2,398 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 93% of the weight and the score stays at 7.6 — the Classics average of 7.6 barely moves it. A further +0.10 comes from the small bonus for major awards.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.8 | 236 | 10% |
| Hardcover | 7.4 | 2.2K | 90% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“I have read this book many times and it will always remain a favourite. This is probably the purest novel Hemingway wrote, concentrating as it does on one man doing the only thing he can do, trusting in himself while maintaining a deep respect for the world around him, and facing up to the hardships the world throws at him. If you only read one Hemingway novel, it should be this one.”
“Felt a bit like poetry and without ms G Byrne to describe it all I am useless”
Frequently asked
What is The Old Man and the Sea rated?
7.6 out of 10, from 2,398 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is The Old Man and the Sea worth reading?
Readers give it 7.6/10 from 2,398 ratings, which puts it ahead of 36 % of the Classics shelf.
How long does it take to read The Old Man and the Sea?
About 2.5 hours at an average reading pace — 133 pages.
Where does The Old Man and the Sea rank?
#95 in Classics on the current snapshot.
Has the book The Old Man and the Sea been adapted for the screen?
Yes. The latest is The Old Man and the Sea (1958); there are 3 adaptations in total.
How long is The Old Man and the Sea?
It has 133 pages — shorter than 86% of the ranked books in Classics.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Classics — and a score of 7.6, the closest to this book.
