"The Sun Also Rises," by Ernest Hemingway.

I don't know if they made a movie out of this book, but if they did, I haven't

seen it.

A man named Jake Barnes, the narrator of this novel, tells about the men

who fall in love with an Englishwoman named Lady Brett Ashley.

Jake fell in love with Brett several years ago and is still madly in love with

her. But it comes out early in the novel that Jake suffered a war injury (must be

World War I since this takes place in the 1920's) that has made him unable to have

sex any more.

He is still learning to adjust to his problem at the beginning of the novel. He

tries to have a relationship with Brett, but they know it can never go anywhere

because of his impotence.

Brett is a passionate woman who likes to have affairs with many different

men. This makes Jake feel even worse about his condition, knowing he can never

have Brett.

Jake is frustrated by Brett coming into his life again, especially because he

cannot please her and has to watch her have affairs with other men. He asks her to

move off into the country for awhile, but she turns him down.

Even though Brett loves Jake, she does not want to be stuck with a man

who can't satisfy her sexually.

Despite her love for Jake, Brett gets engaged to a man named Mike

Campbell. He knows about her affairs, but wants to marry her just because of her

beauty -- kind of like winning a trophy.

Mike is kind of a jerk in that he gets drunk and makes cruel statements

about others, including Brett.

Very early in the novel, Brett reveals to Jake that she had an affair with a

middle-aged Jewish writer named Robert Cohn. Like the other men, he falls madly

in love with Brett when he sees her.

After a short affair with Brett in San Sebastian, Cohn is rather nervous

when he is around Jake. He considers his affair with Brett as a conquest that makes

him a hero.

When Brett appears with her fiance, Mike, Cohn still thinks she is in love

with him even though she is cold towards him now. Brett just used Cohn for her

sexual cravings.

Cohn acts childish, refusing to believe that Brett no longer wants him. He

exaggerates his affair with Brett to everyone he talks to.

Next, Brett becomes involved with a handsome young bull-fighter named

Pedro Romero because he promises new excitement. He gets into a fist-fight with

Cohn .

Brett and Pedro run off together, but he is too demanding and asks him to

leave. Pedro really wanted to marry Brett so she wouldn't get away from him.

Pedro leaves willingly, still in love with Brett, but realizing that she cannot

meet his ideals. He goes without whining or sulking like Mike and Cohn.

Brett is a strong woman who can control most men. She is attracted to

different kinds of men for various reasons and then either gets tired of them or

finds out things about them that she doesn't like.

The question is: which of these men is the best? Who is the real hero?

Jake would seem to be the hero, but his impotence makes him worthless as a

lover.

Cohn has no dignity and forces himself on people and places where he is not

wanted. He complains and whines a lot and brags to everyone about his affair with

Brett.

Mike has no respect or true feelings for everyone and is just in love with

Brett's beauty. She is like a conquest for him.

That leaves Pedro, who shows fearlessness in the bull ring, confidence and

a strong will. But when Brett doesn't do exactly what he wants, he drops her.

Maybe none of these men is the hero because they all have flaws.

On a scale of 10, I would rate this book about a 2. Someone said

Hemingway was a good author, so I picked up "The Sun Also Rises." But I found

kind of a like a romance novel with all the affairs and men fighting over this one

woman. Maybe they could make a modern soap opera out of it for TV.

It was also very hard to follow. Which man was she with now? And

Hemingway jumped back and forth talking about the different affairs, so you

weren't always sure if you were reading about the present or something that

happened in the past.

This book also didn't have much action. It was mostly just talking.

Hemingway's books supposedly have deep, underlying meanings, but what it is in

this book is difficult to tell.

Some girls might like this book because of the control one woman has over

all these men. Otherwise, it is too boring to recommend to anyone.