Rating: 
Summary: READ THE WHOLE BOOK -- ALL OF IT!
Review: A number of reviewers on these pages seem upset because they cannot find one connecting theme that ties these stories and vignettes together. I can only suggest that you develop the habit of reading the entire book, cover to cover. If you did, you'd notice that Hemingway thanks SEVERAL magazines for permission to REPRINT some of the stories. Of course there's no overall theme. He wrote the stories at different times, for different audiences, and gave them the appropriate slant for the periodical he hoped would publish them. This is an anthology of his early works, each of which was meant to stand on its own. Even the Nick Adams stories can be read on a stand alone basis.Some of the stories do, in fact, reflect his love of outdoor sports such as fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, etc. In these, along with his bull-fighting vignettes, you can certainly see the beginnings of the Hemingway style of terse, to the point writing which accounts for much of his later fame. Reading his A MOVEABLE FEAST, in which he discusses the early years of his career, might further clarify things for you.
Rating:
Summary: Wait on this one.
Review: Buy a bigger collection of Hemingway stories and save some money.
Rating: 
Summary: So Many Voices
Review: I admit, when I first read The Sun Also Rises for a class on Mondern Literature, I was not enamored. It struck me as overly minimalistic and angst-ridden.
Now that I'm taking another Modern Literature class, four years later, I actually found I enjoyed Hemingway this time around. I read the book through twice before writing an essay on it and found I had a much better grip on it for the redundant reading. Some of the fifteen stories in particular are more striking than others (I personally was drawn to "The Three Day Blow," "Soldier's Home," "The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife," "Mr. and Mrs. Eliott," and "Big Two-Hearted River"), but really it takes the collection taken as a whole to achieve its full effect.
Really, each story is made up of two parts: there's the main story, then there is a 40-200 word italicized section at the beginning of each story. The two sections are in no way related to each other plotwise, but they seem to very subtly comment, inform, and enhance each one another.
Hemingway comes at the reader with a plethora of voices, rhythms, and issues that, while they are not always related to one another (though about half the stories employ the same character, Nick Adams), are necessary to be taken as a whole to get the entire experience of what he's trying to say. His favorite themes seem to be war, violence (not necessarily always the war kind), loss (in many, many forms), the healing power of nature, and the right way to live. Each story generally has a little bit to inform the reader about each, and then the last story, "Big Two-Hearted River," picks up and completes all these threads. Especially the second time through, this culmination was quite an experience.
Overall, In Our Time is a very quick and painless read, but rewards deeper contemplation. If the themes I listed above are of interest, then I recommend. If contemplative, minimalist writing is favored, then I recommend. If you're looking for excitement or an obvious message, then I don't recomment. It's as simple and complex as that.
Rating: 
Summary: The best of Hemingway's career...
Review: I think this book was the best effort from Hemingway. Both the structure, with the stories interspersed with the bits of commentary, and the style seem far beyond any of his other work, in my opinion. The Nick stories are particularly apt and the overall emotional impact of the book almost makes one forget Hemingway's irritating personality. Yes, this is not a socially-correct work but I think it defines the general American (and probably Canadian) mentality of the time. McGuane has tried to revive the Hemingway tradition - see "To Skin a Cat" - but doesn't quite come to the same level as this book.
Rating:
Summary: IN OUR TIME
Review: In Our Time is a great collection of Ernest Hemingway's early short stories, which he wrote when he was at his peak as a writer. I love the way he uses simple descriptions and dialogue to narrate them, giving a more natural feel to the stories. You can see his tough writing style beginning to show already at this point of his career. Most parts will be confusing to the novice reader because Hemingway really wants you to infer what the stories are about - he will not go right out and tell you. There really is no single theme to this whole book, but it basically shows how life was back in the 1920's. Many of Hemingway's works were based on his own experiences in life, which is very interesting. "The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife" was based on the author's own father, who was, in Hemingway's mind, a coward. "Soldier's Home" is an excellent story of a distressed soldier coming home from The Great War. "A Very Short Story" was based on Hemingway's own romance with a nurse while he was overseas during the war. "Indian Camp" and "The Battler" are two of my favorites. It has been said that the character Nick Adams was really Hemingway, and when you read the Nick Adams stories along with a biography on Hemingway's life, it is easy to see why. Each story in this collection has a meaning unto itself, and I highly recommend that you read all of them.
Rating:
Summary: IN OUR TIME
Review: In Our Time is a great collection of Ernest Hemingway's early short stories, which he wrote when he was at his peak as a writer. I love the way he uses simple descriptions and dialogue to narrate them, giving a more natural feel to the stories. You can see his tough writing style beginning to show already at this point of his career. Most parts will be confusing to the novice reader because Hemingway really wants you to infer what the stories are about - he will not go right out and tell you. There really is no single theme to this whole book, but it basically shows how life was back in the 1920's. Many of Hemingway's works were based on his own experiences in life, which is very interesting. "The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife" was based on the author's own father, who was, in Hemingway's mind, a coward. "Soldier's Home" is an excellent story of a distressed soldier coming home from The Great War. "A Very Short Story" was based on Hemingway's own romance with a nurse while he was overseas during the war. "Indian Camp" and "The Battler" are two of my favorites. It has been said that the character Nick Adams was really Hemingway, and when you read the Nick Adams stories along with a biography on Hemingway's life, it is easy to see why. Each story in this collection has a meaning unto itself, and I highly recommend that you read all of them.
Rating:
Summary: an additional remark
Review: Reviewer Sam Stinson said:
"Buy a bigger collection of Hemingway stories and save some money."
I would say that this is only a helpful suggestion if the reader is aware of which succession of stories belongs to In Our Time. Often this is not indicated in larger collections.
That's all.
Oh, and I guess I should say something about the book too. In Our Time is brilliant. It never fails to impress, teach, or comfort. Hemingway's gift of therapy to the crazy dehumanizing world we live in.
Rating:
Summary: Great book by a great author
Review: This book is an excellent example of the works of Hemingway, one of the best American authors of all time. It consists of a series of short stories alternating with sketches. Hemingway's sparse descriptions are powerful, because they leave so much to the imagination. This one is a must-read!
Rating:
Summary: Great book by a great author
Review: This book is an excellent example of the works of Hemingway, one of the best American authors of all time. It consists of a series of short stories alternating with sketches. Hemingway's sparse descriptions are powerful, because they leave so much to the imagination. This one is a must-read!
Rating:
Summary: For the love of great writing
Review: This collection of short stories includes quite an array of Hemmingway's work and there really is no single theme to follow th entire way through, but if you love to read great writing, then you will enjoy each piece for its own worth and you will find yourself looking for themes that do crop up from time to time.
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