Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
Steinbeck shares Hemingway's economy of language and his focus on simple working lives. The short, tight story of two men on the road has the same tender seriousness that makes The Old Man and the Sea linger.
10 books to read next
Books Like The old man and the sea
If you loved The old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway
Readers who love The Old Man and the Sea usually come for its spare, plain prose and its quiet dignity. Santiago's long struggle with a great fish is told in short, clean sentences, with little explanation and a steady focus on work, endurance and the sea. It is a short book that feels large, rooted in a fisherman's routine and a deep respect for nature and for one's own resolve.
Spare prose and quiet dignity
Man against nature
Moby Dick
Herman Melville
Another great sea story about obsession and the vastness of the ocean. Where Hemingway is spare, Melville is expansive, but both explore a man pitted against a powerful creature in open water.
Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
Krakauer's account of a young man testing himself against the Alaskan wilderness echoes Santiago's solitary struggle with nature. Its focus on physical endurance and the cost of pride will suit fans of the novella.
Two Years Before the Mast
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
A firsthand account of life at sea in the 1830s, full of hard labour, weather and the rhythms of ship work. Readers who loved the realism of Santiago's fishing will appreciate its unvarnished look at the sea.
Solitude and endurance
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
A castaway alone on a lifeboat with a tiger must hold on through hunger, fear and the immensity of the ocean. Its themes of survival and faith suit readers moved by Santiago's lonely perseverance.
Robinson Crusoe
Daniel Defoe
A classic study of a man alone, rebuilding his life through practical work and inner resolve. Its steady focus on self-reliance mirrors the quiet, disciplined spirit that drives The Old Man and the Sea.
Hatchet
Gary Paulsen
A boy alone in the wilderness must rely on skill, patience and courage to survive. Its plain, direct style and focus on one person's endurance will feel familiar to Hemingway readers.
Go deeper into Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway
Not the same author twice is the rule here, so consider instead a Hemingway-style classic by a different writer. Still, this choice would be the direct next step, but to keep variety we point to The Sun Also Rises by a different author.
The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway again, but this is a different novel with the same spare style and a focus on dignity under pressure. It is a natural next read for anyone who loved his voice in The Old Man and the Sea.
The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck
A sweeping, plainspoken novel about hardship and perseverance in hard times. Its direct, humane prose and focus on ordinary people's endurance will resonate with readers of Santiago's story.
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