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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
A love letter to Paris by Ernest Hemingway, which details his regular haunts and friendships.
Formerly, I wrote, "I read this right before college and adored it. I wonder what I would think now?"
Well, now I know.
Hemingway is arrogant. This is like saying, "salt is savory," but his layered arrogance and his ever-evident underlying insecurity are suffused with a deep sensitivity. He is a sensitive guy. He pretends not to be, to the detriment of those around him, but he's a big, gentle softy who can't stand himself. And he's very clever, writing as someone pretending to not be clever.
He writes with exquisite rudeness, both insulting Gertrude Stein and lauding her, for example, and all I can do is shake my head and say, "Get over yourself, man." He clearly admires Ezra Pound, Fitzgerald, etc., so he finds fascinating layered ways of putting them in their place, making them small by calling them big.
The thing is... if Hemingway had ever gotten over himself, he wouldn't have written a damn thing. We can hate Hemingway, but he's just himself.
We need to be arrogant to create art. At least a little bit. We need to be humble, too, but the humble part needs to be sandwiched between fat slabs of confidence. You can't pull a loaded brush across a canvas unless you believe you are a god. (This is why people with bipolar disorder make the best artists. I probably should quit writing, I'm just too damn happy.)
Oh, also: Hemingway says some great things about writing in A Moveable Feast. The things he wrote are so often quoted that they have become writerly cliches, so as you read them you go, "Oh that cliche about writing," and you have to remember that probably Hemingway was the first person to write it down.
Well, now I know.
Hemingway is arrogant. This is like saying, "salt is savory," but his layered arrogance and his ever-evident underlying insecurity are suffused with a deep sensitivity. He is a sensitive guy. He pretends not to be, to the detriment of those around him, but he's a big, gentle softy who can't stand himself. And he's very clever, writing as someone pretending to not be clever.
He writes with exquisite rudeness, both insulting Gertrude Stein and lauding her, for example, and all I can do is shake my head and say, "Get over yourself, man." He clearly admires Ezra Pound, Fitzgerald, etc., so he finds fascinating layered ways of putting them in their place, making them small by calling them big.
The thing is... if Hemingway had ever gotten over himself, he wouldn't have written a damn thing. We can hate Hemingway, but he's just himself.
We need to be arrogant to create art. At least a little bit. We need to be humble, too, but the humble part needs to be sandwiched between fat slabs of confidence. You can't pull a loaded brush across a canvas unless you believe you are a god. (This is why people with bipolar disorder make the best artists. I probably should quit writing, I'm just too damn happy.)
Oh, also: Hemingway says some great things about writing in A Moveable Feast. The things he wrote are so often quoted that they have become writerly cliches, so as you read them you go, "Oh that cliche about writing," and you have to remember that probably Hemingway was the first person to write it down.
Pretty underwhelming considering the way people rave about this book. Hemingway spends a large amount of time describing what he ate or his relationship with famous authors and nonchalantly skims over his cheating on his wife with her friend. Cool. Kiff oke.
It sort of reads like a pre-historic teenage Facebook page. Also, Zelda Fitzgerald sounds absolutely deranged. Lovely and deranged. She's the one character I really enjoyed, in all her malice, during the book.
It sort of reads like a pre-historic teenage Facebook page. Also, Zelda Fitzgerald sounds absolutely deranged. Lovely and deranged. She's the one character I really enjoyed, in all her malice, during the book.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
It’s been a few years since I’ve read Hemingway and reading this book reminded me why he’s one of my favourite authors.
I found this to be a surprisingly quick read in his signature minimalistic style.
Hemingway has become such a larger than life figure at this point, however here he is a bit more grounded and even at times shown to be vulnerable and insecure about himself. It’s a fascinating to read about his interactions with the literary giants of the era in Paris.
Would recommend this book for those who are Hemingway, Fitzgerald or Joyce fans and want to hear stories of their interactions.
I found this to be a surprisingly quick read in his signature minimalistic style.
Hemingway has become such a larger than life figure at this point, however here he is a bit more grounded and even at times shown to be vulnerable and insecure about himself. It’s a fascinating to read about his interactions with the literary giants of the era in Paris.
Would recommend this book for those who are Hemingway, Fitzgerald or Joyce fans and want to hear stories of their interactions.
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
A deeply poignant look at a man who is inextricably connected to literary history. A Moveable feast may not be one of Hemingway’s most intelligent books, but it is uniquely enjoyable as an admirer of his work. And of course, it is always a good time visiting Paris in any book.
Love: Paris and 100 year old gossip
Hate: Hemingway, as a person, always
Hate: Hemingway, as a person, always