Islands in the stream. cover

Islands in the stream.

by Ernest Hemingway

A posthumously published novel in three parts. Set in the Caribbean, the stories follow the main character during different periods of his life. The first part introduces Thomas Hudson, an American artist living quietly on a small island in the Bahamas. His tranquil life is disturbed by the arrival of his three young children who need to be entertained. The two youngest boys die in an accident shortly after leaving the island. The second part is set during WW2 and Hudson is now living in Cuba. Having just heard of the death of his only surviving son he is now bitter and cynical. Part three follows Hudson’s exploits as leader of a group of ‘irregulars’ who take on the task of patrolling the Gulf Stream for German U-boats.

More by Ernest Hemingway

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?