Hemingway is best known for his classic novels A Farewell To Arms, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and The Old Man And The Sea for which he won the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature. His simple, direct style changed the course of American writing, bringing in a truly new voice. Wilderness, bullfighting, and fishing were his interests, and this collection reflects that.
This collection includes the first 18 stories he wrote, several featuring his persona Nick Adams at various ages.
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1936) is the outstanding piece and one of Hemingway's favourites. American writer Harry is dying of gangrene in a tent camp on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. His leg immobile, his wife Helen tries to keep up spirits as they await help. He slips in and out of delirium, recalling the memories he wrote about, regretting he did not live up to his full potential. At just 24 pages, Hemingway manages to fill true characters with a whole life, wrapping it up in a memorable ending.
Up In Michigan (1923) - A blacksmith romances a young housemaid.
On The Quai at Smyrna (1924 ) - Short memories of a Turkish harbour.
Indian Camp (1924) - Nick watches his Doctor father deliver a breech baby.
The Doctor and The Doctor's Wife (1925) - Nick's father is accused of stealing driftwood.
The End of Something (1925) - Nick decides to break with girlfriend Marjorie.
The Three-day Blow (1925) - Nick and Bill get drunk and talk about books and fishing.
The Battler (1925) - Nick gets tossed off a train and meets two men camped in the woods.
A Very Short Story (1924) - Nick romances Luz in Padua, planning to reunite after armistice.
Soldier's Home (1925) - A Kansas soldier returns home to no acclaim.
The Revolutionist (1925) - Travelling the railroads of Italy
Mr. and Mrs. Elliot (1924) - A writer and his wife travel to Italy and Paris.
Cat In The Rain (1925) - A couple try to save a street cat from a rainstorm.
Out of Season (1924) - A couple wander through an Italian town looking to fish.
Cross-country Snow (1924) - Nick and his friend ski in the Alps.
My Old Man (1925) - A man and his son visit bullfights in Italy and horse races in Paris.
Big Two-hearted River Parts 1 & 2 (1925) - Nick travels through a burned out countryside, camping and fishing.
While The Snows of Kilimanjaro is exceptional, the rest of the stories are just 2 to 5 pages long and not of enough interest plot wise to recommend. Style and skill are there in abundance, but unless you like fishing and camping, I would try one of his novels. To Have And Have Not is the one which made me a devoted fan above Steinbeck or Fitzgerald.
The Snows of Kilimanjaro was filmed in 1952, starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner - and changing the perfect ending.
My other review for Ernest Hemingway:
2004 / Tradeback / 146 pages
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