The Sun Also Rises

I first read Ernest Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises my freshman year of college. It was part of a class on modernism and modernity, which also included novels like Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier, Virginia Wolf's Mrs. Dalloway, and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. I remember The Sun Also Rises being my favorite of the books I read for that class, but looking back I'm wondering if that's just because it was more straightforward than the others. Between taking 18 credits and adjusting to college, I didn't really have a lot of time for digesting books. And The Sun Also Rises can be enjoyed entirely for what's on the surface.

This book doesn't make you work too hard. While you certainly can find lots of depth and symbolism, you can also just enjoy a story about a group of friends going on vacation. They fish, they watch the running of the bulls, they stay drunk for a week. And sure, there's some profound stuff about the Lost Generation and what they lost. But you can ignore that level if you want to.

At any rate, the thing I remember most about this book was Lady Brett Ashley. At the time I was listening to a lot of Lyle Lovett and his song Cryin Shame seemed to be about her. Or it seemed to express Jake's opinion of her anyway. I made this connection in my mind so strongly that when I was listening to Lyle Lovett a few weeks ago, I met an overwhelming urge to dig this book back out and read it again.

I didn't enjoy the book as much this time through, and I'm finding myself with less of a desire to read more Hemmingway. Though that may change in time. Right now his style just doesn't suit my tastes.

Sadly, I can't find a video of Lyle singing Cryin Shame to embed in this post. So I'll just leave you with the lyrics instead.
You got you some legs baby
That just won't quit
You got a pretty boy
And he looks pretty hip
You got you one on the sly
But you gave him the slip
And that's just a cryin' shame

'Cause you love the boy
With pretty green eyes
And you love the boy
Who says he's so clever and wise
And you love the boy
Who's always telling you lies
And that's just a cryin' shame

Sometimes it never quits raining
Sometimes that phone just won't ring
Sometimes I never miss nothing
And sometimes I miss anything

But you like 'em tall when it's raining
And you like 'em dark when you're feeling no pride
But you never felt anything that you wanted to hide
And that's just a cryin' shame

So he says you look lovely my dear
You say thank you I'm fine
And you spend all his money
And you spend all his time
And you spend the night
Like you were spending a dime
And that's just a cryin' shame

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