Ernest Hemingway began writing "Islands in the Stream" in 1950. A rough but mostly finished version of the book was found by his wife, Mary Hemingway - whom subsequently published the book in 1970.
"Islands in the Stream" is the first novel posthumously published after the death of Ernest Hemingway.
The novel follows the life of the character, Thomas Hudson, a painter living a solitary and reflective life in the Bahamas during World War II. The book is divided into three parts — “Bimini,” “Cuba,” and “At Sea” — each exploring different phases of Hudson’s life.
In Bimini, Hudson enjoys a peaceful life filled with art, fishing, and visits from his sons. In Cuba, he grapples with loss, loneliness, and the increasing threat of war, while working covertly for the U.S. Navy. The final section, At Sea, shifts into a tense and action-driven narrative as Hudson embarks on a dangerous mission to hunt down German submariners.
The novel explores themes of masculinity, grief, isolation, and the emotional cost of war, offering a complex portrait of a man haunted by love, death, and duty.
The book was adapted into a movie, produced by Paramount Pictures and released in 1977, starring George C. Scott.
The book was meant to encompass a sea trilogy revolving around the life of its main character, Thomas Hudson (an artist and adventurer). The three different parts of the novel were originally to be titled:
• "The Sea When Young" (set in Bimini, the Bahamas);
• "The Sea When Absent" (set in Havana, Cuba); and
• "The Sea in Being" (set at sea).
These titles were changed, however, into what are now the books three acts: "Bimini", "Cuba", and "At Sea".
The book for sale at The Fine Art Hut is not price clipped. Showing price of £2.00, 40/- net on inside jacket.
You can buy "Islands in the Stream" from The Fine Art Hut now.
