Title: Hemingway In Love
Author: A.E.Hotchner
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India
Review:
Acclaimed author and feisty nonagenarian A.E. Hotchner in
his book ‘Hemingway in Love’ offers a verbatim recollection of conversations
that occurred between Hemingway and himself in several locations, spread over a
span of several years. The book includes incidents about Hemingway’s first
marriage to Hadley Richardson, which ended when he fell in love with Pauline
Pfeiffer. After divorcing Hadley, he married Pauline, quickly discovering
that he had made a huge mistake. He confessed to Hotchner that his first wife
was the love of his life and whom he sought for as long as he was alive.
Hotchner affectionately reflects on his friendship with the
iconic novelist in this book. In the spring of 1948 he was assigned by
Cosmopolitan to get an article on “The Future of Literature” from Ernest
Hemingway. He never did manage to finagle the predictive think piece from
Hemingway. But what happened was that the meetings turned into a lasting
friendship with the passage of time. The piece that Hotchner was supposed to
get burgeoned into two substitute short stories and came out Across the River
and Into the Trees, which Cosmo ran in three parts.
The writer reminiscences his time with Hemingway. They drank
together. And how they talked! Hemingway trusted Hotchner and opened up to him
in Cuba, New York, Paris, Venice, on the Riviera, in Madrid, Sun Valley, and
finally at the Mayo Clinic. This particular book doesn’t delve much into
their personal relationship. We get a glimpse of Hemingway’s love life instead.
It is the portion that Hotchner had to — and that he chose — to leave out from
“Papa Hemingway,” a memoir that he penned fifty years ago, in reverence to
Hemingway’s fourth wife and widow, Mary. There actually isn’t much new
information in this memoir. Those who’ve read the previous one would certainly
be disappointed but for those who haven’t, this is a chance to get to know the
actual Hemingway.
Memoirs can be biased because of the closeness between the
subject and the writer. Though Hotchner portrays Hemingway as sad and lonely,
he fails to generate sympathy for the man. Instead, the novelist emerges here
as self-absorbed, childish, and unbelievably naïve in his demeanour. However,
it does generate enough curiosity for the reader. I’d recommend the book to all
those who like their share of memoirs and also to those who’d want to know
Hemingway.
About the Author:
A.E. Hotchner is a life-long writer and the author of O.J.
in the Morning, G and T at Night and Papa Hemingway, the critically acclaimed
1966 biography of his close friend Ernest Hemingway. Hotchner's memoir, King of
the Hill, was adapted into a film in 1993 by Steven Soderbergh. In addition to
his writing career, Hotchner is co-founder, along with Paul Newman, of Newman's
Own foods. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and pet parrot, Ernie.
Buy Links:
Amazon
* I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
** Picture courtesy: Amazon.in
No comments:
Post a Comment