The First Book I Ever Bought

I remember the first book I ever bought and owned. It was when I was in high school. I had read other books before; I remember the Harry Potter books, not sure from whom or where I borrowed them, but somehow I got my hands on them, and I was hooked. Now that I think of it, it must be the Harry Potter books that got me interested in reading.

The first book I bought was a thin little paperback, with an old man and a fish skeleton on the front. The Old Man and the Sea. I didn’t know anything about Hemingway back then, just that he was well known. I remember my school English teacher saying it was a good book, giving an approving nod. Or at least I think so, it's so long ago.

The Old Man and the Sea is about an old fisherman named Santiago who hasn’t caught a fish in weeks, but he refuses to give up. One day, he heads out far into the ocean and hooks a giant marlin, beginning an intense, days-long battle between him and the fish. It’s just him, the sea, and his determination. He finally catches it, but on the way back, sharks eat the marlin, leaving only the bones. 

The story isn’t really about winning or losing. It’s about resilience, pride, and never giving up, even when the odds are against you. I didn’t have the words for it back then. Yet, I felt sad for the old man, for he still didn't have any fish.

Santiago wasn’t a hero in the traditional sense. He was old, tired, sunburnt, and poor. But he was also brave, stubborn, and full of dignity. He talked to the sea, to the fish, to himself. He believed in the worth of his struggle, even when no one was watching.

Not a cheerful start, but I consider it a good first book for my teenage self.🤍