A.E. Hotchner's little book of reminisces was refreshing. At first. He loved Hemingway, Hemingway was kind to Hotchner, it was nice to read that, everything about Hemingway is so darn critical and dark--and there's a lot of darkness and a lot to be critical about! Hemingway in Love overall is still sad, I felt so darn sad for Hadley, sad also, but less so, for Hemingway--it does seem the loss of Hadley haunted Hemingway the rest of his life, and after finishing the book I refreshed my memory on her. BIG MISTAKE.
Hadley was the great Lost Love of his life? What about Agnes, the nurse, Agnes von Whatever, Farewell to Arms nurse? She was his first great love and he did lose her, she didn't want him. Hadley he had, didn't lose her as toss her aside. And then regretted it for the rest of his life.
Where is Hadley in any of his novels? I see Agnes, Pauline, other women, I can't remember reading a character and thinking, "Ah, Hadley." Did that "Same Old Lang Syne" chance meeting of Hadley at Lipp's even occur? Hadley verifies only one post-divorce encounter, on the ski slopes after she remarried.
Her father committed suicide. Ah jeez, I forgot that. So Hemingway married a girl whose dad shot himself in the head with a pistol and then his own dad swallows his dad's Civil War pistol--At home with the family! Nice touch, Ed.-and Hemingway's mother later sends him the pistol. Wtf, mom?
I looked up Dr. Hemingway's grave. First time for that, I think. "John 15:13" it says on the bottom of the tombstone. Okay, look up John 15:13. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Huh?
I forgot the pictures I posted here of Dr. Hemingway, too. I refreshed my memory. Clearly, the man was not there. Hemingway with him: the clearly odd body language between them; Hemingway's obvious effeminate poses. I thought of Hemingway's later writing, of his wife penetrating him. "See, we are now one, aren't we?" "Yes." Of son Gregory/Gloria's sex change. And I didn't want to think about it no mo'.
Hadley was the great Lost Love of his life? What about Agnes, the nurse, Agnes von Whatever, Farewell to Arms nurse? She was his first great love and he did lose her, she didn't want him. Hadley he had, didn't lose her as toss her aside. And then regretted it for the rest of his life.
Where is Hadley in any of his novels? I see Agnes, Pauline, other women, I can't remember reading a character and thinking, "Ah, Hadley." Did that "Same Old Lang Syne" chance meeting of Hadley at Lipp's even occur? Hadley verifies only one post-divorce encounter, on the ski slopes after she remarried.
Her father committed suicide. Ah jeez, I forgot that. So Hemingway married a girl whose dad shot himself in the head with a pistol and then his own dad swallows his dad's Civil War pistol--At home with the family! Nice touch, Ed.-and Hemingway's mother later sends him the pistol. Wtf, mom?
I looked up Dr. Hemingway's grave. First time for that, I think. "John 15:13" it says on the bottom of the tombstone. Okay, look up John 15:13. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Huh?
I forgot the pictures I posted here of Dr. Hemingway, too. I refreshed my memory. Clearly, the man was not there. Hemingway with him: the clearly odd body language between them; Hemingway's obvious effeminate poses. I thought of Hemingway's later writing, of his wife penetrating him. "See, we are now one, aren't we?" "Yes." Of son Gregory/Gloria's sex change. And I didn't want to think about it no mo'.
