Ernest Hemingway on Writing

Rating:
Summary: Quotations from the first printing in 1984
Review: "This book is a gold mine not only for a writer but for a Hemingway fan. Speaking as both, I highly recommend it." - Mademoiselle, September 1984

"In this enlightening little book Phillips, a Wisconsin journalist, brings together everything Hemingway ever said or wrote about his art." - People magazine, 1984

"If Ernest Hemingway had written a book on the art of writing it would have been another best seller. He never did, but Larry W. Phillips, Monroe, Wis., journalist and longtime admirer of the great American novelist, has done the next best thing. He has gone through all Hemingway's letters, interviews and books, picked out those on the subject of writing and put them into book form." - James Ewing, Virginia Pilot and Ledger Star, July 1, 1984

"Ernest Hemingway believed with all his heart that he was writing for posterity and since he is one of the major influences on fiction in this century, his observations about the trade deserve attention. What is surprising about the observations chosen for 'Ernest Hemingway on Writing' is their mysticism and romanticism. Hemingway, the boozer, brawler and suicide, had a curiously sentimental streak when he talked about writing." - William Robertson, Wisconsin State Journal, September 9, 1984

"'If you want to write, just sit down and write,' Edna Ferber once said. Ferber knew! So, and it turns out, did Ernest Hemingway. A new book, 'Ernest Hemingway on Writing,' edited by Larry Phillips...readily proves that. Phillips, a free-lance writer and journalist from Monroe, culled everything Hemingway had to say on the subject from his writings. Then he put the whole kit 'n' kaboodle together and ran it by Hemingway's widow, Mary Welsh Hemingway. After she'd jettisoned a good portion of the book, Scribner's published the 140 pages that were left. Every one of them's a gem." - Gary Peterson, Madison Capital Times, 1984

"a deft job of research and organization" - the Los Angeles Times, 1984

"The book is an ideal perennial publication, because Hemingway was an astute guide to literature. You might quarrel with his code of behavior, but you'd have a hard time making a case against his approach to writing." - Isthmus, September 13, 1985

"'All my life I've looked at words as though I were seeing them for the first time,' Ernest Hemingway said in one of his letters. What Hemingway thought about writing - his own and that of other writers - is the subject of this richly illuminating book. Consisting of passages from his published writings and his letters to friends and mentors, the book is filled with insights, conveyed in the legendary Hemingway style, on such topics as his working habits, his approach to characters, and his estimates of other writers. Ernest Hemingway on Writing presents a master at his most perceptive and authoritative, on the subject he knew best." - Book of the Month Club News, 1984

"[This book] should be of interest not only to writers but to those curious as to what this American man of letters had to say about his craft." - Phil Thomas, Rochester Chronicle, 198

Rating:
Summary: A Must Have For The Hemingway Aficionado
Review: A compilation of quotations strictly devoted to Ernest Hemingway. Several short chapters highlighting Hemingway's remarks on writing, on writers, on language, etc. Many of the selections are quoted from Hemingway's letters. Sources and page numbers are provided. This is a reprint edition to coincide with the Hemingway centennial. Collection of quotes shows Hemingway's incredible gift for profound insight. A must have for the Hemingway aficionado.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not as useful as one would hope
Review: At the risk of being branded a heretic or something, I have to say that while the quotes throughout this book are interesting, it simply is not the guide to writing that one is led to believe it is.

It is a great reference for finding Hemingway's commentary on various aspects of writing and it does contain some genuinely good advice. But ultimately it is a collection of Hemingway's commentary and quotes, not a true guide to writing.

I think the book would work better had the editor (who is to be complemented for culling all of this information out of Hemingway's work and letters and organizing it) incorporated further advice or commentary from other sources. Perhaps by asking some other author or authors how Hemingway's advice has applied to them, the book would better work as a kind of writer's guide.

Regardless, the book is a great source of Hemingway quotes and commentary and I do recommend it. Just don't expect it to turn you into the next Ernest Hemingway.

Rating:
Summary: muy buenos consejos para escritores
Review: esta pequena obra esta llena de consejos que pueden ayudar a una persona que necesite o desee aprender el oficio de escribir, y los consejos van desde los titulos hasta el material y la forma de organizacion. no es que vayas a seguir al pie de la letra a determinado escritor, pero es bueno ver como el ve el proceso de escritura y despues lo compares con su obra a ver en donde hay contradicciones y aciertos, errores y conjeturas. excelente

LUIS MENDEZ [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Advice from the master of modern prose.....
Review: Given Hemingway's giant reputation in the world of literature, it's amazing it took more than 20 years after his death for a book about his views on writing to emerge. Culled from personal letters, his novels, and interviews this short read splices together a thorough picture of his writing style and philosophy. Imagine being at your computer and having Hemingway himself looking over your shoulder guiding you and that's basically what this book can do. Seems like so many famous current authors try to get even richer (like Stephen King's 'On Writing') by espousing their views in books on writing. Hemingway on the other hand obviously had no urge to profit from like-minded books or he would've done so during his lifetime. This makes his observations seem all the more valid and genuine. I found his superstitions about discussing your works in progress to be very intuitive. Clearly, there is a wealth of information on all aspects of writing here making this well worth the read to both established and aspiring authors alike.

Rating:
Summary: A Necessary Read For Any Serious Writer
Review: Hemingway is as serious as any writer. An excellent study on the art of writing.

Rating:
Summary: Good book...very bad paper
Review: Hemingway was enthusiastic about his craft. The editor of this selection chose hundreds of quotes from Hemingway's works that deal with writing. They are excellent choices. This could be a worthwhile textbook for a writer developing his own craft, or for an interested reader studying Hemingway. It is regrettable that the paper is little better, if at all, than newsprint. It is virtually impossible to annotate in pencil. I suspect this book will self-destruct in a year like an old newspaper.

Rating:
Summary: Reflections on writing culled from Hemingway's writings
Review: Hemingway was reticent about his craft; he feared that talking about it would destroy it, or even worse, be a substitute for it. Yet, woven throughout his novels and other writings are numerous observations about writers and the art of writing. In "Ernest Hemingway On Writing", Larry Phillips has culled several hundred excerpts from Hemingway's books, interviews, and personal correspondences that touch upon some aspect of writing. They range in length from a mere sentence fragment to several paragraphs. As Phillips explains in the introduction, "This book contains Hemingway's reflections on the nature of the writer and on the elements of the writer's life, including specific helpful advice to writers on the craft of writing, work habits, and discipline. The Hemmingway personality comes through in general wisdom, wit, humor, and insight..."

Some of these reflections are insightful, some are humorous, and some show us Hemingway at his best. But this is not to say that the collection works as a whole. While I like the idea behind book, and feel it has definite value, there are a good number of excerpts that do not seem to have any of the above qualities, so I question why they were included. They seem like filler. Nonetheless, I'll list a few of the reflections that I liked, as they show something of Hemingway's many moods and styles.

In a letter to Charles Scribner, Hemingway reveals a tortured ambivalence about writing: "Charlie there is no future in anything. I hope you agree. That is why I like it at a war. Every day and every night there is a strong possibility that you will get killed and not have to write. I have to write to be happy... But it is a hell of a disease to be born with. I like to do it. Which is even worse. That makes it from a disease into a vice. Then I want to do it better than anybody has ever done it which makes it into an obsession."

Among the reflections are many little truisms about writing: "...it has never gotten any easier to do and you can't expect it to if you keep trying for something better than you can do." There are also sardonic remarks: "The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life--and one is as good as the other." Some of Hemingway's remarks seem genuinely helpful, as when he describes what he does when he is "stuck". He would say to himself "Do no worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know." Then, he explains "If I start to write elaborately, or like someone introducing or presenting something, I found that I could cut that scrollwork or ornament out and throw it away and start with the first true simple declarative sentence I had written." Finally, when asked "How much should you write a day?", he proffered this advice: "The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never get stuck. That is the most valuable thing I can tell you so try to remember it."

The collection definitely contains some gems; if you are a Hemingway fan you will likely enjoy it. However, if you are looking for sage advice from the master, you are apt to be disappointed, for once you remove the quips and the anecdotes, there is not a great deal left.

Rating:
Summary: Reflections on writing culled from Hemingway's writings
Review: Hemingway was reticent about his craft; he feared that talking about it would destroy it, or even worse, be a substitute for it. Yet, woven throughout his novels and other writings are numerous observations about writers and the art of writing. In "Ernest Hemingway On Writing", Larry Phillips has culled several hundred excerpts from Hemingway's books, interviews, and personal correspondences that touch upon some aspect of writing. They range in length from a mere sentence fragment to several paragraphs. As Phillips explains in the introduction, "This book contains Hemingway's reflections on the nature of the writer and on the elements of the writer's life, including specific helpful advice to writers on the craft of writing, work habits, and discipline. The Hemmingway personality comes through in general wisdom, wit, humor, and insight..."

Some of these reflections are insightful, some are humorous, and some show us Hemingway at his best. But this is not to say that the collection works as a whole. While I like the idea behind book, and feel it has definite value, there are a good number of excerpts that do not seem to have any of the above qualities, so I question why they were included. They seem like filler. Nonetheless, I'll list a few of the reflections that I liked, as they show something of Hemingway's many moods and styles.

In a letter to Charles Scribner, Hemingway reveals a tortured ambivalence about writing: "Charlie there is no future in anything. I hope you agree. That is why I like it at a war. Every day and every night there is a strong possibility that you will get killed and not have to write. I have to write to be happy... But it is a hell of a disease to be born with. I like to do it. Which is even worse. That makes it from a disease into a vice. Then I want to do it better than anybody has ever done it which makes it into an obsession."

Among the reflections are many little truisms about writing: "...it has never gotten any easier to do and you can't expect it to if you keep trying for something better than you can do." There are also sardonic remarks: "The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life--and one is as good as the other." Some of Hemingway's remarks seem genuinely helpful, as when he describes what he does when he is "stuck". He would say to himself "Do no worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know." Then, he explains "If I start to write elaborately, or like someone introducing or presenting something, I found that I could cut that scrollwork or ornament out and throw it away and start with the first true simple declarative sentence I had written." Finally, when asked "How much should you write a day?", he proffered this advice: "The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never get stuck. That is the most valuable thing I can tell you so try to remember it."

The collection definitely contains some gems; if you are a Hemingway fan you will likely enjoy it. However, if you are looking for sage advice from the master, you are apt to be disappointed, for once you remove the quips and the anecdotes, there is not a great deal left.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful inspiration for writers
Review: Hemingway's straight-to-the-point advice reveals much about his own process of writing and helps us get inside his head (just a bit) which is of much interest to the Hemingway fan. It is also great for those of us seeking advice or new ways of looking at different aspects of the writing process. Even when I don't entirely agree with his comments, they are insightful and enlightening and offer suggestions for what may be benificial variations in our too-routine writing routines. I also must agree with one of the other reviewers: the paper is poor (like the brown stuff you used to practice your alphabet letter writing on when you were in kindergarten.) Why? I don't know- this is a book that I can easily refer to anytime I feel myself lacking in drive and I would like to know that it will stand the test of time (physically); a few passages from it and I feel energized by what he has to say. Regardless of the por paper quality, I HIGHLY recommend it.