Hemingway in Paris

A Moveable Feast: The Restored Edition by Ernest Hemingway

Other than short stories, I haven't read Hemingway since the 8th grade, when I was hated The Old Man and the Sea. I like his memoir, however, and will probably move on to his other works. Hemingway's style initially struck me as crowded because of the run-on sentences. He eventually won me over with his beautiful passages on food, writing, and skiing - some of which I had seen in other places. I particularly like the way he wrote dialogue: the people (except his wife Hadley) spoke very naturally.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dates: 27-31 Mar 2012

*****

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

This book reminded me of Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar because people talk about random things for no particular reason. I hated Hopscotch, but love The Sun Also Rises. The difference lies in the characters and the writing. The characters in Cortazar's work struck me as fake intellectuals, whereas the characters in Hemingway's novel seemed more authentic, their conversations more real (albeit banal). I also liked how Hemingway made me interested in topics I normally don't get excited about: fishing and bullfighting. So, I'll take Hemingway's run-on sentences and aimless characters. His writing is a welcome respite from commenting on assignments.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 3-14 April 2012

*****

P.S. To round out these reviews, I thought it would be fun to read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, a recent novel about Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. Unfortunately, McLain's writing isn't of the same caliber as Hemingway's. So, I put the book away after 50 pages.