Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea presents a classic novel with the protagonist, Santiago, on an unlucky streak of not catching fish for eighty-four days. On his eighty-fifth day heading out into the sea, he does the exact same thing: going deep into the ocean, preparing his fishing lines, and waiting. Suddenly, a fish finally catches on, and the battle between him and the fish begins…

I wholeheartedly enjoyed every part of this story. We learn and feel the journey of overcoming hardship and understanding the big lessons in every moment. One of them, for example, is to never give up. Even at the old man's worst, battling not only against the fish but also his relentless pain, exhaustion, failure, and age, his optimism and hope never cease at any moment, even after eighty-four days of not catching fish.

If you are interested in classic short stories that lead to deeper advice and lessons beyond just reading, this story is one to read, not only because of its exciting and happy ending but also because of its insightful details and beautiful quotes that may even one day change your life; my favorite quote is "Only I have no luck anymore. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then, when luck comes, you are ready. "

After reading this book, I took on a different perspective on challenges and how to deal with them, and I'm sure it will teach you things that you may not even realize now.

Review by: Mark L.

Mark is a volunteer at Sylmar Branch Library. He is a 12th grader at North Hollywood High School.

—Dana Eklund, Sylmar Branch Library