Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Sun Also Rises  By  cover art

The Sun Also Rises

By: Ernest Hemingway, Colm Toibin
Narrated by: William Hurt
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.99

Buy for $17.99

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Originally published in 1926, The Sun Also Rises is Ernest Hemingway’s first novel and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style.​

A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the novel introduces two of Hemingway’s most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates. In his first great literary masterpiece, Hemingway portrays an age of moral bankruptcy, spiritual dissolution, unrealized love, and vanishing illusions.

Who's your papa? Listen to more from Ernest Hemingway.
©1926 Charles Scribner's Sons. Copyright renewed 1954 Ernest Hemingway. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form (P)2006 Simon and Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon and Schuster Audio Division, Simon and Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

2007 Audie Award Finalist for Classics

"An absorbing, beautifully and tenderly absurd, heart-breaking narrative....It is a truly gripping story, told in lean, hard athletic prose...magnificent." (The New York Times)

“The ideal companion for troubled times: equal parts Continental escape and serious grappling with the question of what it means to be, and feel, lost.” (The Wall Street Journal)

Featured Article: 50+ Undying Quotes About Life from Acclaimed Authors


Though it's hard to argue with Merriam-Webster, we all know that life means something more than the standard dictionary definition—or, at least, we want it to. If you're searching for insights into the meaning of life, or words of inspiration to make your life more meaningful, there's no better source than authors of great works of literature. From Shakespeare to Alice Walker, from Jane Austen to Saul Bellow, iconic authors have a lot to say about life.

What listeners say about The Sun Also Rises

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,152
  • 4 Stars
    1,523
  • 3 Stars
    778
  • 2 Stars
    288
  • 1 Stars
    185
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,135
  • 4 Stars
    983
  • 3 Stars
    481
  • 2 Stars
    229
  • 1 Stars
    212
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,733
  • 4 Stars
    1,214
  • 3 Stars
    663
  • 2 Stars
    258
  • 1 Stars
    165

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is the perfect summer listen no matter what else you’re doing.

Hemingway’s picturesque writing is always amazingly good, and I’ve enjoyed listening rather than reading after all these years. Highly recommend. William Hurt’s narration reminded me why he has always been a favorite of mine.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Skip this one…

Skip this one. The only thing that held me to the end was my OCD, and the need to finish books that I start.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • JJ
  • 11-26-23

Classic

One of my favorites, by my favorite. Hemingway never disappoints. I also enjoyed William Hurt.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

bad narration

William Hurt is a quality actor but i do not enjoy his efforts as a narrator. I may have given this book 4 stars if not for the narration but i doubt it. I agree this is one of Hemingway's better efforts as an author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Writing okay, stilted narration.

Intellectually I can process that Hemingway was a good writer yet it all seems a little dated and boring to me ...though, it might just be the stilted narration by William Hurt that I didn't care for. He seems so vain that he has to chop up and almost mispronounce things to add his touch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

My first Hemmingway listen

Would you listen to The Sun Also Rises again? Why?

Yes I would listen again, the story was easy to understand if not relatable and since this is my first Hemmingway listen or read, I have no comparision. I was surprised to find his work mundane, but compelling enough to keep listening.

Would you recommend The Sun Also Rises to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend this to others as the story was informative about various subjects and lifestyles of a bygone era.

Which character ??? as performed by William Hurt ??? was your favorite?

I don't have a favorite, but the Scottish accent Hurt did for Mike was great!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book did not have me on the edge of my seat, so I stopped and started as time allowed.

Any additional comments?

I was satisfied to have finally listened to the work of such an acclaimed author as Hemmingway,even if I was a little surprised at how mundane and simplistic his style seemed to me. I supposed nothing can take away from a great story, but if you prefer novels that are a little more wordy and challenging then you might want to pass on this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A really nice listening experience

William Hurt’s narration was really pleasing to listen to and he really did a great job of making the characters come alive. The story itself was a bit slow at times but was good overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very entertaining

I had not read this in over 40 years and forgot what a great story it is. I thought William Hurt was an excellent narrator other than not having a good English accent for Brett

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A masterpiece in every way.

A true classic. One of the greatest ever written. Wonderfully performed by the late John Hurt.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Nicely read!

The story itself is pretty dismal as Hemingway chronicles the emptiness many of the Lost Generation found.The narration by William Hurt, though, is great! This narration really enhances the reading of the book as he captures tone and emotion. The Scottish accent (Mike) is really well done and the humorous exchanges between Bill & Mike come across especially well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!