Deep blue reads

Ocean-themed books you can read alongside – or instead of – the classic The Old Man And The Sea.

I AM about to confess to something that is probably only known to one other person in my life, that is, my best friend from school who took literature class with me. For almost 20 years, we’ve kept our silence, bonded by a secret we knew we could never reveal for fear of ridicule or even contempt.

My friend has gone on to become a doctor and is much less likely to be judged for this confession. Me, though, I’m not so sure. It’s likely I’m about to lose any credibility I’ve had as a book reviewer/columnist by making this declaration.

Which is this: I absolutely hate The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

I really, really wanted to love it. When it was assigned to us for literature, I was thrilled. Finally, I had a reason to procure that precious copy of the book that sat on my father’s bookshelf, thumbed through by him and my grandfather. They loved Hemingway, and The Old Man And The Sea was considered by them – like much of the literary world – as one of his best (it won the Pulitzer in 1953).

But several chapters into the story of an ageing Cuban fisherman who struggles to catch a giant fish, I was dreadfully bored. The book is short, almost a novella, and yet it felt painfully long. Having slogged all the way to the end, it felt like I had personally dragged the giant marlin for three days from the sea.

My only comfort was that my friend hated it too, and some of my best memories of literature class involve us taking turns to poke each other under the table so that we didn’t fall asleep while discussing the interminable book.

If you haven’t yet read The Old Man And The Sea, don’t let me stop you – there are, after all, enough people who revere it to hopefully make it worth your while. But as companions – or, if your experience ends up being like mine, an antidote – here are some other books about the ocean that may be smoother sailing.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (1870) by Jules Verne: A science fiction classic that imagined sophisticated and surprisingly accurate undersea travel well before its time, this adventure novel on board Captain Nemo’s submarine is exciting, and even today, quite awe-inspiring.

Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) by Jean Rhys: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is one of my favourite Gothic novels, and Rhys’ counterpoint to it is brilliant, telling the story of Mr Rochester’s marriage from the point of view of his mad wife who was locked up in the attic.

Rhys brings an anti-colonial and feminist lens to Jane Eyre, while also telling a story that is dark, complex and ultimately tragic.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane (2013) by Neil Gaiman: In true Gaiman style, the “ocean” in the title of this book is actually a duck pond – except when it isn’t. Equal parts magical and horrifying, this story of a man revisiting his family home – and long-forgotten memories – is a powerful yet disturbing examination of childhood.

To The Lighthouse (1927) by Virginia Woolf: Set around the experiences of one family and their visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland over the course of about 10 years, To The Lighthouse is a meditative read on relationships, loss, and growing up.

James And The Giant Peach (1961) by Roald Dahl: As a child, the story of a young boy sailing off on a giant peach accompanied by magical garden insects seemed like a weird and wonderful adventure. Reading the book as an adult, however, what also comes through is Dahl’s trademark ability to balance the bitter realities of life with a childlike vision of the world. Sharmilla Ganesan is currently reading her way through the titles in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. Join the conversation at facebook.com/BeBookedOut or Tweet @SharmillaG.