To Have and Have Not

What a miserable book! Harry Morgan is an almost thoroughly despicable character in a pointless book full of sad, pathetic and incomplete plots. I think I can see where Hemingway was trying to stretch as an author, the multiple perspectives he writes from here is a different approach for him (one that doesn't succeed too well), for example. But I thought this failed utterly.

Towards the end of the book, there's a few pages where Hemingway gives us snapshots of various characters aboard different boats in the marina – all of whom we only see here in a few paragraphs – I thought this was effective, light years beyond the rest of the novel. It felt quite out of place, a diamond in the rough. (which may suggest it wasn't as good as I thought, it just seemed so much better – I don't think that's the case, but it's possible)

Oh, this also featured possibly the least erotic sex scene I've read this side of Tom Wolfe (actually, may be worse than Wolfe). Nothing to make hay about there, just thought I'd note it as it really bugged me.

nare mensen, depressieve setting, vage dialoog, en bijzonder gul met uhmm negatieve omschrijvingen van personen met een andere huidskleur :/

This book will land with some, and miss with others. The plot doesn't really go anywhere, it's more just a brief insight into Harry Morgan's rough life. In my opinion, the absence of meaningful plot tragically but beautifully reflects the world's indifference to the events that take place in the book. Everything is so graphic and tragic yet painted in such an insignificant light, and that's what made this book stick with me personally. Again, not gonna be for everyone, but I found it a worthwhile read.

this dude writes fan fiction about how cool he wishes he was. yeah yeah ernest u would've gunned down those cubans so good if u werent drinking urself into jaundice, yeah sure we believe u

Published in 1937, this book contains three stand alone, but interconnected stories, all revolving around the same character - Harry Morgan. The first two stories are very short, and were originally published in magazines, the third is novella length.

The stories are very nautical - those with an interest in boats will take more from the detailed boat descriptions than others. The writing style varies from story to story, as does the narration which doesn't remain consistent throughout - sometimes Harry, sometimes others. There are aspects of stream of consciousness thrown in too.

Set in Key West and Cuba, Harry Morgan is a hard drinking tough guy who makes a living running fishing charters, and running grog and other contraband to Cuba. As a tough guy he dishes out some pain, but is not a bulletproof hero - he is damaged in some way in each story, and reading this book the reader gets the feeling Harry is on a one way road. Harry has to constantly take risks to break even, and keep his family in food. At odds with Customs, only hard evidence keeps him from a prison sentence. Married to an ex-prostitute, with two daughters he doesn't seem to care much about, his fondness for his wife is a surprise.

For me the first two stories were high octane - quick reads containing speeding boats, guns, contraband and the smuggling of illegal immigrants. For this type of action read they were 4 stars.

The third story was strange, and I expected more when I got to the end. For some unknown reason, Hemingway continually introduced characters to the story who had no real involvement. At one point he spends 3 or 4 pages identifying each person in each boat in the marina, with a brief explanation about why they were there. Most of them did not even see the coastguard towing a boat into port, which was the actual subject of the story... Similarly there was a side story about an author with a cheating wife - there were numerous chapters about their activities and interactions around the town, which didn't add any value to the story. This story had potential, but floundered with the unnecessary. 2.5 stars.

Overall, 3 stars.

Unsurprisingly Hemingway is quoted as not rating this work very highly.