Customer Reviews

Hemingway Odyssey: Special Places in His Life

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

H. Lea Lawrence. A Hemingway Odyssey. Cumberland. May 1999. c.201p. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 1-58182-024-0. pap. $12.95. LIT

One of Hemingway greatest strengths is his ability to place readers in the physical location of his stories so deeply it engages all five senses. Employing snippets from Hemingway's letters, memoirs, and fiction, this volume is a collection of biographical travelogues recalling the places that loom large in the Hemingway legend-Michigan, Europe, Key West, Cuba, Idaho, etc., most of the which are buttressed with photographs. A true delight for all Hemingway fans.--Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"

"A Hemingway Odyssey- Special Places in His Life" is a wonderful book that takes you to many of the spots Hemingway loved: Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Cuba and Key West among them. H Lea Lawrence clearly enjoyed walking in the footsteps of the great author- and takes the time to seek out the locals still there who remember and knew Hemingway. We are introduced to residents of the places who in some cases spoke with Hemingway, met him at hotels, directed him to local fishing spots and had cocktails with him. The book explores many sites which Hemingway fans themselves have wanted to visit over the years- and unfortunately many of the people who knew him are passing away, to be gone from the scenes forever....

Interesting is Lawrence's investigation of the many small local hotels in existence in the 1920's- 1950's where Hemingway stayed. Many of these are now private residences or closed- but several still exist and are the focus of his book. The author meets the current owners, managers and support staff who tell him of the day when Hemingway stopped in for a drink or for the weekend- and although some of the stories are once removed (second hand accounts), the conversations are interesting and informative.

Most Hemingway fans have thought of travelling to his famous haunts- most famous of which in the U.S. is Sloppy Joe's Saloon in Key West- and Lawrence stops in there for a brief visit, along with describing Hemingway's local exploits fishing in the Gulf Stream. A picture of the Hemingway House and Museum- with its famous six-toed cats- is included and it is a welcome addition to the story line. Having been to Sloppy Joe's myself for my 50th birthday in 2007, I enjoyed not only this, but all the other descriptions of Hemingway's favorite spots- and I plan to vist many of them in the years ahead.

-Gene Pisasale
Author, "Lafayette's Gold- the Lost Brandywine Treasure" and
"Vineyard Days"