Islands in the StreamIslands in the Stream
Score Classic
What it's about
Thomas Hudson, an American artist living quietly on a small Bahamas island, has his peace disturbed by a visit from his three young sons, and the novel follows him through different periods of his life in the Caribbean.
Why it's worth reading
It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1970.
You'll love it if you liked
The Old Man and the Sea
A Moveable Feast
The Sun Also RisesGood to know
It was published after Hemingway's death, in three parts.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast
For Whom the Bell TollsThe Old Man and the SeaThe Sun Also RisesIf you like this, read next
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Hobbit
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Black Boy: A Record of Youth and Childhood
The Killer AngelsExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1950sTop 25 · 101 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is Islands in the Stream worth reading?
Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1970. It ranks #2,974 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 53.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Islands in the Stream about?
Thomas Hudson, an American artist living quietly on a small Bahamas island, has his peace disturbed by a visit from his three young sons, and the novel follows him through different periods of his life in the Caribbean.
How long does it take to read Islands in the Stream?
About 11 hours (435 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Islands in the Stream?
If you liked it, try The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway or The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.