From one of the best writers in American literature, a classic novel about smuggling, intrigue, and love.
To Have and Have Not is the dramatic story of Harry Morgan, an honest man who is forced into running contraband between Cuba and Key West as a means of keeping his crumbling family financially afloat. His adventures lead him into the world of the wealthy and dissipated yachtsmen who throng the region and involve him in a strange and unlikely love affair.
In this harshly realistic, yet oddly tender and wise novel, Hemingway perceptively delineates the personal struggles of both the "haves" and the "have nots" and creates one of the most subtle and moving portraits of a love affair in his oeuvre. By turns funny and tragic, lively and poetic, remarkable in its emotional impact, To Have and Have Not is literary high adventure at its finest.
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"It seems some reviewers are disappointed because it was not as epic as "For whom the bell tolls". However, as one who has devoured everything EH let me say this is quintessential H. It takes some thought and contemplation. Complex yet primal emotions and circumstances of one small set of characters is captured through seemingly adolescent dialogue and self-talk. This is the genius of this work; if you cannot believe the characters through their dialog, you are either much too young to get it, or too inexperienced in "lower class" life to ever hope to understand."
— Peter (4 out of 5 stars)
“Absorbing and moving. It opens with a fusillade of bullets, reaches its climax with another, and sustains a high pitch of excitement throughout.”
— Times Literary Supplement (London)“Its tragic scenes are rendered with an economy of words and a power that might well be the despair of a lesser writer.”
— Scotsman (Edinburgh)“There is adventure, danger, betrayal, and death, but this novel begins and ends with the tough and tender portrait of a man who plays the cards that are dealt him with courage and dignity, long after hope is gone.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review“Hemingway’s episodic 1937 novel…benefits greatly from Will Patton’s gritty, understated reading. Patton’s quiet, craggy performance gives shading and nuance to the tough-guy talk…The lightness of Patton’s voice and the close microphone also add an intimacy that pleasantly undercuts the harshness of Harry’s adventures.”
— AudioFile" I actually thought this was one of Hemingway's better works, although, that isn't saying much. "
— Jen, 2/5/2014" Very disjointed and choppy. A tragic story, and written ok but this is obviously not the book that made him such an amazing author. It truly did remind me of assigned reading in high school. "
— Linde, 1/29/2014" "Papa" Hemingway wrote a real man's book here, filled with drinks, fights, boats, fishing, dames and desperate acts. Either due to the language of the Conchs (Key West-ers), the time or the terminology (boats, fishing) I didn't understand quite a few words. The first half had alot of action, then it slowed down. Certainly worth the evening this short book can be read. "
— Sterlingcindysu, 1/24/2014" Not Hemingway's best work, but still good. The economic situation of our nation today makes this book even more fitting. It's easy to understand how financial pressures can cause a good man to do unsavory things when he thinks he has no other choice. "
— Bryan, 1/23/2014" The first Two thirds of the book are great. The Last third is Jibberish. It is noteworthy to mention the first two thirds of the book were written about 2 years ahead of the ending. "
— Josh, 1/20/2014" Drinkin', smugglin', sluggin', pluggin' and a-tuggin'. A pleasing blend of macho laughs and sentimental dames. "
— Matthew, 1/12/2014" Not Hemingway at his best. Even the man himself called it his worst work (which it isn't. Across The River And Into The Trees is). A bit disjointed but still some fine Hemingway moments to be found. "
— Dr., 1/5/2014" pretty good. it doesnt rank up there with his other books. but, if you're a hemingway fan, or if you've visited the Keys then it's worth the easy read. subjects covered: disgruntled WWI vets, rich people, rich gay people, smuggling liquor/chinese from cuba, stealing money from banks, and fishing "
— Timothy, 12/27/2013" It's Hemingway so of course I love it. "
— Alexandra, 12/3/2013" Excellent writing style.. impeccable description of scenes. "
— Dkalog, 12/2/2013" I will always like Hemingway, he always leaves you feeling like 'well this is reality'. And that's exactly what this book did for me. I don't feel a false sense of hope or disdain. Just ready to keep chugging. "
— Joni, 11/30/2013" The first half of the book starts well enough, but it should have ended a hundred pages earlier. "
— Darrel, 11/27/2013" I'm a sucker for Hemmingway. This one is quite dark, and is not quite as story driven as For Whom the Bell Tolls or Farewell to Arms. Quite nice, though, with several scenes that really stick with you. "
— Felice, 11/23/2013" Probably the last Hemingway book I read - not my favorite though. I should go back and re-read all of them. So many books, so little time! "
— Marty, 7/17/2013" not my favorite hemingway, but still really good "
— Jose, 1/27/2013" Hmm... starts out really linear, then gets a bit random with a long digression right at the end. Still all types of great, though. "
— Alesh, 7/3/2012" Harsh and realistic. "
— Lysergius, 5/22/2012" A dark book of a dark character compromising his values in life and end up losing everything "
— Wessel, 4/26/2012" Brutally simple and told with stark, violent realism. Classic Hemingway. "
— Lyn, 2/4/2012" God help me I love Hemingway. Chapter 7 is the best thing I've read in a long time. "
— Megan, 6/26/2011" Not my favorite Hemingway, but it had some amazing moments. "
— kabukigal, 6/5/2011" One of the best books ever! :-) I love Hurry Morgan and Eddy! "
— Zan, 5/7/2011" great read. my second favourite book by hemingway after the old man and the sea. "
— Jøhannes, 4/24/2011" Terrible. Hemingway at his very worst. "
— Aaron, 4/18/2011" I liked a lot of this book; gritty smugglers in Key West, interesting characters and dialog. But it had long stints of non-sequitir scenes which didn't connect with the main story line, so that made it very odd to me. "
— Pito, 4/7/2011" Drinkin', smugglin', sluggin', pluggin' and a-tuggin'. A pleasing blend of macho laughs and sentimental dames. "
— Matthew, 3/21/2011" Men, men, men, doing bad stuff, drinking a lot, fighting and killing. Women are minor characters in this novel and not spoken of highly for the most part. I am reading this in Key West since the novel is set there and I am visiting Hemingway's house tomorrow! "
— Chrissalas, 3/6/2011" Hmm, I didn't get it, really.... "
— Birgit, 3/6/2011" The first chapter is incredible, but it's an adaptation of one of Hemingway's short stories. The book loses momentum from there. "
— Mark, 2/3/2011Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), born in Oak Park, Illinois, started his career as a writer in a newspaper office in Kansas City at the age of seventeen. After the United States entered the First World War, he joined a volunteer ambulance unit in the Italian army. After his return to the United States, he became a reporter for Canadian and American newspapers. During the twenties, Hemingway became a member of the group of expatriate Americans in Paris, which he described in his first important work, The Sun Also Rises. He also wrote Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, the story of an old fisherman’s journey, his long and lonely struggle with a fish and the sea, and his victory in defeat. He also wrote short stories that are collected in Men Without Women and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories. Hemingway died in Idaho in 1961.
Will Patton is an award-winning actor and narrator. HIs narrations have earned the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fiction Narration and also won dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards. His numerous film credits include Remember the Titans, The Punisher, The Mothman Prophesies, Armageddon, and The Spitfire Grill. He starred in the TNT miniseries Into the West and on the CBS series The Agency and won Obie Awards in the theater for his performances in Fool for Love and What Did He See.