The Sun Also Rises cover art

The Sun Also Rises

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Sun Also Rises

By: Ernest Hemingway, Colm Toibin
Narrated by: William Hurt
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

About this listen

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. Classics Inspiring

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)
All stars
Most relevant  
Reading about Hemingway’s striving for minimalistic writing made me think that William Hurt’s voice was the ideal match - he has a slow pace that matches the short, punchy sentences and dialogue. And he colours it all with accents and intonation. His grasp of Mike’s moods and those of the Count are impressive. Well done.

Captivating interpretation

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You really did get the feeling of the book through a vocal narrative. The bored expat Parisian society, the drunken antics of the group and the soul of the bullfight. Many of these, thanks to the narration by William Hurt. Exceptional stuff

So wonderfully read

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

Where does The Sun Also Rises rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the best audible book I've downloaded so far.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Sun Also Rises?

The penultimate scenes where Jake is left by himself where he gently immerses himself in the local life is both poignant and beautiful at the same time. I have listened to this part over and over

Which character – as performed by William Hurt – was your favourite?

I have to say I absolutely enjoyed them all equally. William Hurt's professional skills left me in awe. I quickly searched for other books he has narrated but there is only one other.

Any additional comments?

I love this book. An all time favourite.

Absolutely Magnificent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thoroughly engaging story and narration. Mr Hemingway's descriptions of people, places and events are masterful.

sublime

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Highly recommended. Listened to ithe novel non stop on long journey. Evocative, thoughtful, compelling reading.

Great reading of a great novel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Some parts of the narration was a bit stilted, could have been more natural. Mostly well read

Not bad

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I hate how Audible makes us write 20 "unique" words when giving a review. When will silicon valley types learn to stop forcing rules on others. Douche comes to mind.

Pretentious nonsense

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
finally feels like a book written for the millennials generation, would suggest this for anyone born after 1985.

what a ride

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a book about suppressed emotion. It is about people who had endured too much and are simply not willing to endure any more. They do nothing and bask in simple pleasures because it’s their only way out of the hell of the memories of a war that took too much out of them. The war underlies everything here. It’s the unspoken topic, the baseline which dictates their listlessness and torpor. Understand this and the book makes more sense, their characters are clarified and their actions comprehensible.

Something in nothing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Hemingway always has a wonderfully evocative use of the English language. The 4 main characters Jake, Brett, Mike and Bill - are a diverse group of friends from different backgrounds, who embark on a trip through France to Pamplona, famous for its Running with the Bulls festival. The characters are well defined, and the story draws you in as you follow the events that unravel. Hurt’s narration of the story, including his talent portraying the various male & female voices & accents is superb. His husky drawl voice is perfect for this story.
I enjoyed every moment of this fantastic rendition of this wonderful story. Highly recommended.

The Sun Also Rises -a wonderful rendition of this iconic Hemingway novel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.