I got to hear Maya Hawke and Dominic Sessa read it at the 100 year anniversary of the book hosted at 92NY. This chapter is the main character Jake Barnes listening to the woman he loves, Brett Ashley, speak about her heartbreak over another man while they sit in a dark hotel bar and drink martini after martini. The man she desires is ashamed of her because she refuses to grow her hair long and be "womanly". The love is palpable, and so is the pain. She begs Jake not to get drunk and he disobeys. Brett loves Jake, yet he can't meet her needs. A war injury has left him impotent. Far from "manly" by most definitions of the word. They leave the drinking and Jake blinded by the bright day after he steps out from the dark hotel bar. Physically they are so close as they step into the car to explore Madrid, resting their heads upon each other. Despite their closeness he has to hold her at a distance, and that distance is the love they share. "Isn't it pretty to think so" is how Hemingway closes the book. People see Hemingway as a writer of Machismo, drinking, cynicism, womanizing, etc. That's only for those who don't look beneath the tip of the iceberg. The actors who read the chapter showed us everything beneath the water, with their inflections and pauses, so brilliantly. There is nothing machismo here really, it's about acceptance of your fate and finding life in whatever is left after so much has been lost. 

Finally getting around to reading Hemingway after hearing an NPR article about the 100th anniversary of The Sun Also Rises. Viewing the PBS Ken Burns documentary too. Can anyone point me to materials that explain how his writing was received, why he was different, what he had in common with his contemporaries, etc.

Bronze cast . H-10 cm . For Sale

Lot 145 excerpts from catalog notes:

HEMINGWAY, Ernest (1899-1961). "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." [Key West, finished April 1936].104 pages (including three inserted pages), 270 x 210mm, in pencil on rectos only (first few leaves with some creasing/stains and a few mended tears; ... A working first draft with very extensive revisions by Hemingway of one of his longest and finest stories.

“Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day’s work" (Hemingway Paris Review interview)Hemingway seems to have made a start on "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" in fall 1934, but it wasn't until spring 1936 that the safari tale—which had been developed along with "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (his only other story set in Africa)–began reaching its final form.

After rejecting a number of titles—the tentative "A Comedy with Animals" has been erased at the head of the first page, but is discernable—Hemingway gave the story its present title.

It is his longest story both in terms of manuscript length ("Big Two-Hearted River" is next) and printed text (edging out "The Undefeated" by some three pages).

"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" was first published in Cosmopolitan (September 1936) and was then collected in The Fifth Column and the First Forty-nine Stories (1938), where it is the opening story. It has since become one of his most celebrated and reprinted stories.

Provenance: Jane Mason, by descent to: Antony Mason, Christie's New York, 19 May 2000, lot 302.

For photos and additional notes see: https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/fine-printed-books-manuscripts-science/the-short-happy-life-francis-macomber-145/325208?ldp_breadcrumb=back

I'm sure this topic has been posted a million times but let's hear it even so. Which one is his best in your opinion ?

I've been a fan since I first read Hemingway in HS. Since then I've followed his footsteps to Paris, Pamplona (ran with the bulls way back in 07), Madrid, Key West, and finally Ketchum. If you go to Ketchum the Pioneer Saloon has a shotgun he once owned on display.

A 1940  first edition of Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 8vo. Original oatmeal cloth, stamped in black and in red; endpapers offset; in first-issue dust-jacket, losses along margins. Hanneman 18A.

Had some great intense moments. Probably a 7/10 for me. You could feel the autobiographical elements and to an extent it felt like a Greatest Hits, with calls backs to some of his other classics. I wouldn’t recommend it as someone’s first Hemingway, but when you have got through a good chunk of his bibliography it will resonate nicely. Felt like a sad goodbye

“And then along came Hemingway. What a thrill! He knew how to lay down a line. It was a joy. Words weren’t dull, words were things that could make your mind hum. If you read them and let yourself feel the magic, you could live without pain, with hope, no matter what happened to you.”

I read Hills Like White Elephants in class recently and throughly enjoyed it. But when we were discussing the story after the fact I found there were points of contention between me and a couple of girls in the class.

I subscribed to the idea that it was a love story about two people having a disagreement. The two didn't seem to hate each other. They mentioned things were fine between them before the pregnancy. Further, The Amercian didn't want to pressure Jig into doing something she didn't want to do, while Jig didn't want to go against her boyfriends wishes. Overall, despite obvioues tension in their relationship, it seemed to two did love eachother and were just trying to work through this hard decision. In other words, I thought the stories core theme was about how romantic relationships are often complicated and divisive.

The two girls however had a diffrent interpriation. They found the American to be an abusive figure who was controling Jig. They noted he seemed older than her, and found his insisting going against her wishes. They didn't find any chemistery or passion between the two. This could perhaps be supported by the fact Jig mentions all they do is drink instead of talk, the fact that the American clearly met her on the road while visting Europe, and her name suggesting she is some sort of dancer or even a sex worker.

At first I thought my interpretation was misfounded. Since I didn't really understand the story was about abortion at first and because my teacher liked the girls interpreation more. But after rereading the story on my own a couple of times, I felt that I was indeed correct. I didn't get the impression they hated each other. I do think the Amercian loved her and was being as supportive as possible while making his stance clear. The two seemed mixed on the matter. I don't think either was completly sure. My therapist agreed with this analysis when I asked her about it.

So that leaves me with a question. Which interpretation is correct? Mine or the girls? I admit gender might lead too a bit of a bias here. Men may be more likely to sympathize with the man while gals are more likely socrn him. I also think your stance on the abortion debate will have something to do with it. But I'm open to all opinions, along with links to essays on the story.

Edit-I misspelled relationship in the title. I hate myself.

I stumbled upon this copy in one of my favorite local used bookstores and I thought the community would enjoy it. I believe it's actually a UK first edition. It's definitely been well-read, no dust jacket, and apparently it was part of a library collection in Liverpool before finding its way across the Atlantic. Now it's on my shelf and I'm happy to be the next person to enjoy it.

The girl says, "They’re lovely hills,” she said. “They don’t really look like white elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees.”

I thought the whole point of that side of the river was that it was barren and tree-less. Why does she say that there are trees covering the hills to the point that it'd significantly cover the "skin" of the mountain?

Picked up this Cuban Spanish copy of Hemingway in Cuba in a second-hand bookshop in Valencia....

Hello Hemingway Fans,

Join The Gulf Stream Readers this month as we dig into _A Farewell to Arms_

Gulf Stream Readers Book Club

Hosted by the Florida Hemingway Society

Our Mission:

An initiative of the Florida Hemingway Society, this monthly book club is a space for scholars, students (undergraduate and graduate), and Hemingway enthusiasts to come together and engage with the works and life of Ernest Hemingway. Our goal is to provide a space where everyone can share diverse perspectives on Hemingway’s writing, encourage the development of new scholarship concerning his life and work, and provide an inclusive environment for those who share a love of Hemingway. Whether you’re a seasoned Hemingway scholar or just discovering his work, this is a welcoming space for thoughtful discussion, curiosity, and connection.

What to Expect

📚 Reading Journey

We will begin our journey through Hemingway’s writing with his novels and novellas and then transition to his short stories. While we will try to read in chronological order, some works will be read out of sequence. Each session will focus on one major work or a curated selection of shorter texts.

💬 Monthly Discussions

Monthly, virtual meetings using Zoom will include guided discussions by members of the Florida Hemingway Society and opportunities for open dialogue and debate.

🎓 Academic and Community Engagement

We encourage presentations, shared resources, and networking among participants. Students and emerging scholars are especially welcome to bring their research interests to the table.

Who Can Join?

-Hemingway scholars and researchers

-Graduate and undergraduate students interested in literature, writing, history, or just Hemingway

-General enthusiasts with an interest in Hemingway’s work and legacy

We want this to be a diverse and inclusive environment for readers in all stages of life. No formal background is required. Just come with your love of literature and a willingness to explore Hemingway’s world with others.

📅 Date: September 23, 2026 at 7 PM EST

📍 Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting

📝 Questions: For more information or to join our mailing list, contact us at:

📧 Nicole Musselman, Vice President of the Florida Hemingway Society, nmusselman46@gmail.com

🌐 Visit: https://www.flhemingwaysociety.org/

"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer."

- Ernest Hemingway

I went on a 2-3 month journey to read all 70 of Hemingway's short stories (including seven never published during his lifetime). I used the Finca Vigia Edition of The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway for this as opposed to the various anthology collections.

Many say they like Hemingway's shorts over his novels. I'm not sure I agree. Yes, he has some bangers, but many leave you wanting more and feel more like scenes from longer works (which some are). They also get repetitive after a while.

That said, I rated 15 of the stories with a top rating. These are:

Up in Michigan,
The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife,
The Battler,
Big Two-Hearted River (Part I),
The Undefeated,
Hills Like White Elephants,
Fifty Grand, Banal Story,
Fathers and Sons,
One Trip Across,
The Tradesman's Return,
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,
The Snows of Kilimanjaro,
Night Before Battle,
The Last Good Country

The two I enjoyed the most were Hills Like White Elephants which I've read multiple times. It was used as an object lesson in "the tip of the iceberg" theory and I can't get enough of the two partners weighty conversation. They're both so well motivated and conflicted. The other that surprised me was "One Trip Across." This was one of the longer stories. It had high personal and moral stakes. Harry, an experienced captain running booze and other contraband between Cuba and Key West, is presented with a moral dilemma upon receiving his next assignment. Eddy, his rummy first mate is great comic relief. The story was preposterous but I fully bought in. I heard this story becomes the basis for To Have or Have Not which is sitting on my Key West bookshelf awaiting a read.

What are your favorites? Would love to discuss or answer questions on any of your favorites.

For me, this one was a let-down.

I must say, though, this book has my favourite opening chapter of any of Hemingway's novels.

It comes out of the gate strong and fast. When I first read it, my thoughts were, "this is sort of like a 1930s Miami Vice."

But for me, the book falls flat almost immediately after.

For the record, this might be my bias shining through -- I have always thought Hemingway's true gift was as a short-story and novella writer, not as a writer of longer fiction, but that's just me.

I’m new to Hemingway, never read any of his work and I got gifted these books. What reading order would you recommend ?

- A Farewell to Arms
- For whom the bell tolls
- The snows of Kilimanjaro
- The Sun also rises

Ernest Hemingway, Men Without Women, 1927, NY, Scribner's Sons:

8vo. [xii], 232, [4, blank] pp. Publisher's full black cloth, printed gold labels on upper cover and spine, publisher's unclipped ("$2.00") first issue dust jacket. FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY HEMINGWAY ON THE TITLE-PAGE TO EDDIE TILYOU: "To Eddie Tilyou with or without Women Ernest Hemingway".

IN ADDITION, THIS COPY HAS TWO ORIGINAL INK AND COLORED PENCIL PAINTINGS BY HEMINGWAY'S FRIEND, WALDO PIERCE. The first painting is on the verso of the half-title, titled "Don Ernesto" depicting Hemingway leaning against a confused bull; the second painting is a double-page painting (on pp. x and xi), "Bonheur Formidable des Hommes / Paris 15 November 1927" depicting Hemingway, himself, and another man, all drunk, with enormous beer glasses with goldfish inside them.

Eddie Tilyou (1872-1929) was the brother of the owner of Steeplechase Park and managed the park. Waldo Pierce (1884-1970) was an American painter and illustrator; he was a bohemian expatriate, and lived a life of revelry. After World War I, he met and became a lifelong friend to Hemingway, and they traveled extensively in Europe.

Pierce painted a few portraits of Hemingway, one of which appeared on the October 18, 1937 cover of Time Magazine.

This book is accompanied with the July 1936 issue of Esquire Magazine, with a double-page spread of paintings by Pierce.

Condition Cloth binding a bit rubbed, front board with small bump at fore-edge, text a bit toned, with occasional pencil underlinings in text, several gutters cracking, some offsetting from paintings; jacket torn at front joint (front panel detached from spine, but is present), jacket toned, worn, soiled, with a tear to front panel at upper edge.

A very good copy in a fair first issue dust jacket. Housed in a beautiful brown calf clamshell case with black and blue gilt morocco lettering labels, with pictorial labels inset on the covers reproducing the original artwork in the book (there are other reproductions of the original artwork inside the case).

See additional photos of this item at https://auction.potterauctions.com/online-auctions/potter-potter/hemingway-ernest-1899-1961-men-without-women-new-york-charles-scribner-s-sons-1927-9421111