I really have had no use for Hemingway-ever.

Before you give up on Hemingway, try a couple of his short stories: The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Both are better than Green Hills IMO. To me anyway, A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises are his best novels.

BTW, for those who want to read Nyschens' Months of the Sun and don't want to pay $500+ for a used copy of his book, it is now available on ITunes for downloading for a bit less than $30....a much more palatable price for an African masterpiece..

I liked Green Hills but try reading True at First Light that was published after his death. Wow! Now that is a tough read.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by dawaba:
Before you give up on Hemingway, try a couple of his short stories: The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Both are better than Green Hills IMO. To me anyway, A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises are his best novels.

I strongly agree with you on "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber!" That story takes you from shame, despair, sexual infidelity, redemption, defiance, heroic integrity and utter betrayal and murder in the space of about five pages. It's got to be one of the most emotionally charged roller coaster rides ever written!

Like I sad earlier; Papa could put a hurtin' on a piece of fiction!

I liked the book. He was clearly disturbed but it was entertaining.

I think some of you men are a bit rough on EH. His goal was to write a factual story to see if it had the same quality and acceptance as did his fictional novels. That is best left to the reader's opinion. However, I don't know how many PhD literature professors read AR, but perhaps they are qualified to dismember EH's story.

My opinion is I like the story, as I do his other African stories--fictional or not, or based on factual events that he fictionalized for a specific story.

What goes beyond our opinions here is that in today's anti gun and anti hunting movements are rampant in the educational fields, but EH African stories bring Africa hunting and rifles into the college classrooms that otherwise would be completely void of such topics.

One point of the story that interests me is EH's statements of a 57-inch kudu as magnificent. At the time of his writing very few kudu of that size were in Roland Ward. Today, thanks to game farming in SA, 57-inch kudu are quite common. Either evolution as speeded up or the animals are being raised and measured so a "hunter" can make the book.

Regardless of what thinks of EH or his story here, is none of us can relive his experiences in Africa. They are gone forever.
Cheers, all.
Cal

I read everything about Hemingway ,the best NICK ADAMS tales .Papa wasnt accurate on guns ,he loved them and hunted a lot but has opinions that arent correct andcan cause accidents.Ruark is better ,and his books UHURU and SOMEHING OF VALUE are my all time favourites .

X 2 Cal. EH gets lots of respect from folks who don't respect hunters. I'll also add that in today's world of tree hugging, granola eatin, rainbow worshipping, unicorn savers, we could use more writers like him. People make a living writing about EH's writing. He is one of us.

I've read lots by him and about him.

We have this lawyer that's handled some family matters. I didn't pick him. But you know how some professional guys, lawyers, doctors, try to get to know something about you so they can act like they "connect" with you. It's pretty transparent and tasteless, but some folks think it endears you to them. Well anyhow, I must have mentioned hunting in Africa and he pounced - "Have your read 'Green Hills of Africa'?"

The question is fine, but this guy asked the same question on my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th visit to him. Drove me nuts.

Ruark was better writing about Africa. But - if you want to read some painful writing - try getting through Ruark's "Honey Badger". I couldn't do it.

I bought The Honey Badger and returned it in less than an hour. Terrible. And, I'm a Ruark fan.

I have to say I enjoyed Hemmingway. I bought first editions of Green Hills, and The Old Man and the Sea. I especially loved The Old Man and the Sea when I was young. Like others also liked The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber whom many believed was based on a true affair back in the day.
But... Like many older writing styles his prose can be a bit verbose for some.
I also loved Roosevelt and have almost all his books on Hunting.
I won't argue however about Ruark, who is great and we must admit Capstick was an excellent writer who is a bit tarnished due to "borrowing" some stories from other Rhodesians back in the day.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Martinez:
In her book "Hunting with Hemingway" his daughter Hilary notes that his stories were oft-times fictionalized and maybe-true, maybe-not. It is true that much of his writing takes place en-situ but was certainly affected by his affection for drink and for his own amusement.
When the writing isn't what the reader needs it is best as dogcat has said to dispose of the book and move on.
I like his writing. I don't like him as a person but I admire the drive that sent him to the reaches of the world in search of himself in the adventures he found.
Frank

Frank I know EH called a few women "daughter", but who is Hilary? TBK he had 3 sons, no daughters.

OP, 220 FMJ's are available, least I have a couple hundred of them. Also have to remember Hemingway's last safari was almost 65 years ago. I doubt any of the same ammo is still in production. I bet Hornady Custom would make it for you though.

On the subject of Hemingway using a 30-06 with "solids" on Rhino...I am a huge advocate of using enough gun for your quarry. What is considered to actually be enough gun is an endless debate. So lets not stir that stink pot.

It is a known and accepted fact that British colonist armed with .303's and 7x57's killed plenty of big game using solids. Penetration and proper bullet placement allowed them to do so. Hemingway curses his big double gun in the novel because he cannot shoot it well enough to place his shots accurately. In his situation, a 30-06 solid through the vitals is much better than a .500 into the gut. Ideally, he should have practiced more with the double rifle beforehand and spent less time drinking...

Hillary is Ernest's brother Leicester's daughter, and has made a good living retelling stories already told about Hem. Gayne Young has a funny story about an interaction with her. She called him and gave him shit about a story he wrote, and she introduced her herself something like "Hillary Hemingway. As in ERNEST Hemingway." Another wanna-be hanger-on. I have no use for her work although I have read it all. Valerie Hemingway (Greg's wife), has a much more candid and valuable story in Running with the Bulls.

Thanks Baxter. Kind of funny considering Hem had little time for his brother. Have read Valerie's book, the jewish guy who secretly recorded everything, most of everything I could find except Gelhorn's; I was certain she would be too bitter. I've found most of the biographies (except Baker) were too riddled with professional jealously as well.

KW, if we do not include poaching I suspect the .303 has killed more game than any round in Africa.

Excellent comment re: the biographies, you are spot on. Baker's is by far the best, but I'll admit I prefer reading hem's letters most of all. Baker's collection is excellent as is the new multi-volume (still in progress) by Sandra Spanier. Nothing beats hearing the man's words from his own pen.

The Jewish guy you are referring to is A.E.Hotchner. And I feel Hem would be pissed at him for publishing their correspondence. Hotchner has also sold a lot of things he got from Hemingway, including the chestnut he mentions hemingway giving him in Paris.

That's the guy. I'm certain you are correct Hem would feel betrayed. I believe they had an agreement that Hotchner would not publish anything; seems I read that. Can you imagine selling a chestnut and authenticating it as Hem's gift?

I never go anywhere without my lucky stone.

Again, you are right. There was a comment from Hem to Hotchner ( I believe it was, ironically enough, in Hotch's Papa Hemingway) about how low it would be to publish private stuff. I would have to look to verify it though.

Just realized this was as old thread, funny. Love Hem though.

More surprising than me being 10 years late is so many discredit Hemingway. I wonder if they look at a Monet and say he chose the wrong colors to look real?