(no subject)
Hemingway first attracted me to Italy. I cannot remember which book it was. Or books. But he did. Cicero did the rest. ;)
(Some combination, Cicero the Wimp and Hemingway the Boxer.)
Why am I talking of Hemingway? Because I read an article about Cuba and Hemingway today:
Hemingway would not have approved if I had thrown up. No, he would have written: 'Nicoll was a Jock. Nicoll puked. Some Jock.' A few pages later, I would have been killed.
Hemingway, Hemingway. He wrote too conventionally for my liking. Lots of description of scenery - but then, he did travel a lot. He had a traveller's eye. He wasted it on scenery. I do not want another pink-stained description of a beach. Or a forest. Even though he could turn artificial white-light into deciduous green for me - he was that good. But not eloquent enough for me.
His characters. What to say. From what I remember, wow. Hang on, I have an unread copy of Hemingway here. I think it's a series of excerpts from his book. I'll read it as soon as I finish my Fowles. (Now Fowles; he's an author whose scenery fulfils a purpose. It's not just exposition to fatten the eyes and leave the mind untouched. It drives his plot and his characters' motivations. If they see the scenery and complain, it has purpose. Hemingway, on the other hand, needed a ruthless editor. Slash and burn, baby.)
I'm being far too aggressive on Hemingway. I quite like his works. I don't really hate him.
I didn't know he had been to Cuba. Of course, I knew he had travelled. Come to think of it, he was the one who - through his dead body, of course - introduced me to the idea of travelling away, on one's foot. Hopping through train tracks and looking at the beast of a train as it moves and groans. (That's me, not him. Long story.)
His characters had character: it shone in the way they spoke. No, it wasn't polished like, oh, Wilde - but that was the point. It was raw and forceful. But still retaining some overt decency. A world away from Fowles, but still vivacious (barely).
Hem-in-wai.
And, I haven't responded to several earlier comments that you've all left. Will do so soon. Promise!
(Some combination, Cicero the Wimp and Hemingway the Boxer.)
Why am I talking of Hemingway? Because I read an article about Cuba and Hemingway today:
Hemingway would not have approved if I had thrown up. No, he would have written: 'Nicoll was a Jock. Nicoll puked. Some Jock.' A few pages later, I would have been killed.
Hemingway, Hemingway. He wrote too conventionally for my liking. Lots of description of scenery - but then, he did travel a lot. He had a traveller's eye. He wasted it on scenery. I do not want another pink-stained description of a beach. Or a forest. Even though he could turn artificial white-light into deciduous green for me - he was that good. But not eloquent enough for me.
His characters. What to say. From what I remember, wow. Hang on, I have an unread copy of Hemingway here. I think it's a series of excerpts from his book. I'll read it as soon as I finish my Fowles. (Now Fowles; he's an author whose scenery fulfils a purpose. It's not just exposition to fatten the eyes and leave the mind untouched. It drives his plot and his characters' motivations. If they see the scenery and complain, it has purpose. Hemingway, on the other hand, needed a ruthless editor. Slash and burn, baby.)
I'm being far too aggressive on Hemingway. I quite like his works. I don't really hate him.
I didn't know he had been to Cuba. Of course, I knew he had travelled. Come to think of it, he was the one who - through his dead body, of course - introduced me to the idea of travelling away, on one's foot. Hopping through train tracks and looking at the beast of a train as it moves and groans. (That's me, not him. Long story.)
His characters had character: it shone in the way they spoke. No, it wasn't polished like, oh, Wilde - but that was the point. It was raw and forceful. But still retaining some overt decency. A world away from Fowles, but still vivacious (barely).
Hem-in-wai.
And, I haven't responded to several earlier comments that you've all left. Will do so soon. Promise!