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neverwithoutmybook's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that the authors I admire are real people, not just the larger than life characters in their own amazing stories. This is what I had to keep telling myself throughout this book, A.E. Hotchner was Hemingway's friend! Can you imagine being Ernest Hemingway's friend?! This is Ernest's very honest recount of his past relationships, specifically with Hadley and Pauline, as well as a look into his distressful last days. His love for Hadley was clear, as was his passion for Pauline. He shared his regrets and the advice from friends that he did not want to hear. Such a gift to hear this in his own voice.
msteinhaus's review against another edition
5.0
Deeply moving and upsetting, this book chronicles Hemingway's decline at the end of his life and his bitter regret at his destruction of his first marriage to Hadley as told to his long-time friend, author A. E. Hotchner.
A quick read, though I had to set it down after almost every chapter to let the emotion it evoked seep in and subside, otherwise it would have been overwhelming.
A quick read, though I had to set it down after almost every chapter to let the emotion it evoked seep in and subside, otherwise it would have been overwhelming.
ermohai14's review against another edition
4.0
If you have read The Paris Wife, this book is a great companion. This memoir contains a lot of Hemingway's reflections on his relationship with his first wife, Hadley (aka The Paris Wife). It was interesting to understand his perspective after reading Hadley's (even if fictionalized by The Paris Wife). Short book, but very well written by Hemingway's dear friend A.E. Hotchner. Hotchner really gave Hemingway's stories a personal touch by interjecting the scenes in which their conversations took place. Now it might seem weird that I have read two books about Hemingway's real life, yet I have not read anything by Hemingway. Guess that should be on my TBR list huh?
beadsbynoon's review against another edition
3.0
Yup. He was a misogynistic, self-centered douche. When he talks abut the women he loved, he talks of their appearance and how they supported him - and that's about it. His poor third wife, who got one paragraph, was a writer with her own ambitions. Hemingway said, "I wasn't about to put her needs before mine." He's on his own, without a companion for 9 weeks (his 100 days that were cut short) and he can't take it. When he finally comes back around and remembers how much he loved Hadley, he basically says - 'I hurt her so much and look what hurting her did to me.'
Gross.
Hemingway would have HATED me.
Gross.
Hemingway would have HATED me.
troystory's review against another edition
5.0
I started reading this memoir with no prior knowledge of Hemingway, and I learned so much while I was reading it. What a delightful, casual book! It's small enough to breeze through, but it's packed full of interesting stories. And it's written so beautifully. This is truly some of the most poetic language I've encountered in a while. My absolute favourite thing about it was how easy it was to fall into the trap of believing, even for a split second, that you're the old friend having a chat with Hemingway. This book was written in such a compelling way that it seemed less like reading someone's Wikipedia page, and more like sitting by a fire with them and listening to their stories. Just a beautiful, vivid book, with really wonderful insights into Hemingway's life. It was such a joy to read!
shelbykisgen's review against another edition
5.0
I was engrossed in the audiobook version of this while on a road trip. From the beginning I was invested in the relational aspects of the story, and even though I wanted to punch Hemingway and hug Hadley throughout the entire story, it was an interesting memoir nonetheless.
shishirkc's review against another edition
4.0
“They’re trying to keep you from killing yourself.” – Hotchner referring to the doctors
“But what have they given me to keep me going? […]The books and stories I promised myself to write will never be written.” - Hemingway
The above conversation that takes place inside the hospital ward in which Hemingway has been put up sums up the helplessness and dejection Hemingway, one of the greatest literary artists this world has seen, felt towards the dusk of his life. This book, a short but powerful memoir by Hotchner, is a strong commentary, told using Hemingway’s own life as a narrative tool, of guilt and remorse – effects people’s actions in the younger years have on their later, wiser days. It tells the story of Hemingway’s many love affairs and his experiences and learning from them, always looking back at the most important and the only true love he had.
The last chapter, and more importantly the 1-pager post-script, hit me in the guts – those were one of the most moving lines I have read in a while. They completely turn the story around and you cannot help but feel sorry for a great but flawed soul, who later, convincingly killed himself.
Strongly recommended for anyone who wants to learn from others’ mistakes. And for anyone who knows the grandeur that was Hemingway.
“But what have they given me to keep me going? […]The books and stories I promised myself to write will never be written.” - Hemingway
The above conversation that takes place inside the hospital ward in which Hemingway has been put up sums up the helplessness and dejection Hemingway, one of the greatest literary artists this world has seen, felt towards the dusk of his life. This book, a short but powerful memoir by Hotchner, is a strong commentary, told using Hemingway’s own life as a narrative tool, of guilt and remorse – effects people’s actions in the younger years have on their later, wiser days. It tells the story of Hemingway’s many love affairs and his experiences and learning from them, always looking back at the most important and the only true love he had.
The last chapter, and more importantly the 1-pager post-script, hit me in the guts – those were one of the most moving lines I have read in a while. They completely turn the story around and you cannot help but feel sorry for a great but flawed soul, who later, convincingly killed himself.
Strongly recommended for anyone who wants to learn from others’ mistakes. And for anyone who knows the grandeur that was Hemingway.
abetterbradley's review against another edition
5.0
There are a few subjects that I constantly find myself returning to explore. Hemingway and the Paris years are one of those subjects. Absolutely loved this book. I'm a little concerned that parts of it might be embellished or misremembered because the author was in his 90's when he wrote this. I don't really care because a guy can dream that Hemingway and Hadley could have been the it couple under different circumstances.
waywithwords's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful and heartbreaking final chapter for Papa Hemingway.