Four Days with Hemingway's Ghost

by Tom Winton

Four Days with Hemingway’s Ghost is not a story of spooks and goblins. It's a powerful story about two men from two very different times. One man is mortal, the other is immortal. One is painfully ordinary, the other world famous.

Jack Phelan is a forty-two-year-old underachiever who lives in South Florida. Although he mows lawns for a living, he’s not what you might expect. He’s got an exceptionally sharp mind and is a self-educated Hemingway aficionado.

After Jack gets into an unlikely accident he's flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital, where he remains in a coma for four days. But somehow, minutes after he blacks out, he finds himself in Key West, Florida--rubbing shoulders with an aged Ernest Hemingway.

Hem has been sent back down to help determine whether or not Jack has what it takes to write a book for “The Main Man above the clouds.” But what Ernest doesn’t know is that the book is to be about him. And that its purpose is to change the world’s perception of the swaggering, hard-knuckled, macho myth he has become.

Over the next four days, Jack Phelan and Ernest Hemingway travel to the legendary author’s old haunts and meet up with many of his long gone friends. Some of these reunions are rollicking good times, others are highly emotional tests of strength. But wait. When their time together comes to an end, the story is still not over. That’s when things really get interesting.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical, Time Travel, Contemporary

142 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Tom Winton has done everything from working on a railroad gang in the Colorado Rockies to driving a taxicab in some of New York’s most dangerous neighborhoods. He has also been a mailman, a salesman, an entrepreneur and more. Since having his first book published in 2011 he’s written eight more, and they’ve all been bestsellers.

Said to be a man who writes with his pen dipped in his soul, Tom has been listed as one of Amazon's Top 100 "Most Popular Authors" in both Literary Fiction and in Mystery, Thriller and Suspense. He has also been named by Wattpad (the world’s largest online reading platform) as one of their most followed authors.

Tom Winton lives on the east coast of Florida.

Reviews

[Karl Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I suspected that Hemingway, just like I do, would have had a serious problem living in this maddening twenty-first century world.” This line from this superb book got me thinking. Could I live in Cuba in the 20’s and 30’s with no Internet, no I-Pad, no smart phone, no 42” TV screen, no Spotify, no Sat-Nav, no rear-view screen in the car and none of the modern day accoutrements?

Are you kidding? In a heartbeat! I lived on the Algarve for four years. We had no TV, no car, no Internet and certainly no Spotify. But we had friends. And we were in shape. I scuba-dived a lot, went to the gym three times a week and drank with friends every night. The Portuguese people are affable and loyal, the food exquisite and the sunsets breathtaking. Hemingway would have loved it.

But onto this stunning book. It is a solid story. What else can I say? I actually had to stop after about 15% to research Hemingway’s life because, like most of us I suspect, I actually knew very little about him – except for the obligatory ‘Old Man and the Sea’ at school. And I’m sure a lot of us had a Hemingway novel in our curriculum. But the research was worth it and when later in the book we meet not only Hemingway’s ghost but also the soul’s of Gertrude Stein, Marlene Dietrich, Waldo Pierce, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Alice Toklas and Sloppy Joe himself I actually knew a little bit about them and the part they’d played in Papa’s life.

It would be fair to say this is a book of two halves, but the story has a magic to it because as the reader shares wannabe author Jack Phelan’s struggles as to whether his book on the Hemingway experience should be fiction or truth, you can’t help but ask the same question yourself. Did all this really happen to Tom Winton, or is it all fiction? I still don’t know.

In the very first paragraph Winton expresses his ‘truth’ by stating, “I am now sure that in July of last year, I spent four days with Ernest Hemingway,” but not wanting to “labeled a kook” he opts to place this book firmly in the fiction category. So we’re left guessing right through the book. He describes his accident in such detail that this must surely have happened. Part of my job is to investigate construction site accidents, and I know a real accident when I read one. Winton’s / Phelan’s accident is so detailed and comprehensive – when your average author would have had his protagonist simply hit by a bus – that someone experienced in accidents, like myself, has to read this as truth.

So did this story actually happen? Did Tom Winton actually spend four days in a coma while his spirit spent time with Ernest Hemingway?

You decide?

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished a very fascinating book called Four Days With Hemingway’s Ghost by Tom Winton (my 50th book so far this year). The description of the book caught my interest since I had grown up reading Hemingway’s books and once I started reading it I was hooked.

The story starts out with the main character, Jack Phelan, having an accident, in Palm Beach, FL, that knocks him unconscious. The next thing you know Jack is in front of Ernest Hemingway’s home in Key West, FL and standing next to him is Ernest Hemingway’s ghost, but not in the shape of a ghost as we are accustomed to reading about, and it is the 50th anniversary of Ernest’s death.

Ernest takes Jack on a 4 day tour of his haunts in Key West, New York, Havana, Cuba and finally to Ketchum, ID (where Ernest had committed suicide) and along the way Jack learned more about Papa Hemingway. God believes Jack is not living up to Jack’s potential so Ernest was sent by God to spend time with Jack and report back to him so God can make a determination as to whether Jack wakes from him coma or not.

This was such a great book and it made me want to do a little more research on Ernest Hemingway, including watching about an hour and 42 minutes about Hemingway’s life that was produced around the time of the 50th anniversary of his death that I had found at biography.com.

[R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

"هیچ کداممان بعد از مرگمان صاف و مستقیم نرفتیم بالا، اما در نهایت هر دویمان به آنجا رسیدیم."
- همینگوی


یک کتاب خاص و نوستالژیک برای طرفداران واقعی همینگوی
آرام و روان بدون تعلیق خاصی
تجربه ای نزدیک به مرگ و ملاقاتی با روح همینگوی

✌

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved most of this book. The really fun part was the first half. In the second half, the tone of the book changes completely. No more humor. The Christian aspect of the book takes over completely in the second half and while I am fine with Christian literature, I think the drastic change in tone does not hold up well and it is not fair to the reader who probably stuck with the novel through the first part, expecting that the second would be at the least similar.

Don't get me wrong. I am glad I read the book. It's good writing...the first half anyway. I even enjoyed the second half but I think that the second half could have been either cut a bit or it could have had a less drastic change in tone from the first half.

Just my observations.

[Delara H F · Rating 3 out of 5]

در واقع ٢.٥ از ٥. شايد هم ترجمه اش خوب نبود.

[Hanieh · Rating 3 out of 5]

۳/۵
ایده‌ی خوبی که می‌تونست بهتر اجرا بشه

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hemingway would be appalled! I started skimming this book half way through...worst book I have "read" in recent years. I stayed with it desperately hoping the author would do something with it, but It just kept getting worse. This was written at an elementary school reading level. I guess i just I like a little more intellectual meat to my leisure reading. The only reason I gave it any stars at all was because there were a few facts about Hemingway I found interesting.

[Brenda Perlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A man can learn from his past mistakes, and he should, but reliving them ... that does absolutely no good."


Four Days with Hemingway's Ghost by Tom Winton is sentimental uplifting story with a clever plot. I enjoyed this playful little adventure that felt part fantasy and part reality. The author has a ease to his writing style that has me as a reading wanting more. There is a comfort in this style and I have to say he could write about just about anything and I believe he would find a way to make it inviting. Even read about him writing a book?!

This may seem like a whimsical story but it really is about second chances. Made me think about my own life and mortality. We don't usually get more than one chance but if we do we have to take advantage of it and use it to our best ability. There is a positive message here, one I am taking away with me.

Going back in time and meeting all the classic Hollywood celebrities feels like a windfall. The best party imaginable.


Quote ~

"I, Jack Phelan, could very well be on my way out. Don't get me wrong, my mind wasn't a whirlwind of fear. I was not paralyzed by the terrified feeling most people get when death's cold, dark fingers suddenly reach out for them. I wasn't my usual self. I was cognizant, but then again I really wasn't. I truly didn't know who I was, nor did I have any idea who or what I'd be leaving behind."

[Rosalind Minett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four Days with Hemingway's Ghost (Kindle Edition) I began this novel when I was very tired, expecting to stop after the second chapter and continue the next day. But I didn't, I couldn't. I was horrified by Jack's accident, so clearly described that I felt I had just witnessed it for real. Then life went black and shortly afterwards Jack found himself translated to a time fifty years before, yet strangely still himself despite not recalling quite who or what he was. The one apparent thing was the presence of Hemingway whose manner and dialogue this author has captured spot on. Not just Hemingway but his cronies were presented d. There were events and philosophical discussions and watering holes, as you might expect. Yes, I was captivated, not least by the plot which was so well worked out. Hemingway's journey in one direction and Jack s in the other. A clever device which worked well for me.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love when I read the last line of a book and it brings a smile to my face. So was the case with "Four Days With Hemingway's Ghost." Jack Phelan fractures his skull in an accident and spends four days in a coma, teetering between life and death. Jack has a "near-death experience" and finds himself in the company of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway shows Jack the places that influenced his life and his writing, while pointing out that Jack's own life, should he live, has a higher purpose. A delightful, feel-good story.

[SueK]

Can't rate this one - I abandoned it at 10%. I was reading along and realized I was thinking of all the good books I still have on my "to read" list and decided not to waste my time. Stilted imagined conversations with Hemingway's ghost - I should have known better.

[Book Troll Real Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

For starters, I need to say that it is very hard to offer an unbiased review of this book. Hemingway is my absolute favorite author of all time and I bought the book for that reason alone, but of course, that is a lot of pressure for a writer! This review is entirely from the perspective of someone who reads and rereads Hemingway and who is a former English teacher with a lot of background knowledge of Papa and his peers. I've mentioned Hemingway to people, including authors, and they have never heard of him, so clearly they would have a very different experience reading this book.

What I Liked: Hemingway is in it. Did I mention I love him? I also found myself relating to Jack almost immediately, because I personally had the same experience with Papa. I had read The Old Man and the Sea in school when I was a kid, but I didn't like it. I also taught A Farewell to Arms and a few short stories when I was younger - and I still wasn't a fan. Something happened, though, around the age of 30 and I read more of Hemingway's work. I went back and reread the ones I hadn't like and loved them this time around. So Jack's slow easing into his fascination with the author hit close to home for me.

I also enjoyed the way that the story balanced the then and now. It brought to mind Midnight in Paris, my favorite movie, and I liked seeing how the things that Jack learned from his hero were relevant, but also imperfect in a way - like life. I enjoyed the way Hemingway was portrayed, too, for the most part. I like that even he says most people get him all wrong - because I feel like that would absolutely be the first thing he would say if he were to return today.

Finally, I truly loved how both Jack and Hemingway struggled to fit into modern society, because this is a question that weighs on me, too. Could my heroes survive the world of books now? A world when authors who have never heard of Hemingway are publishing vast amounts of titles? I thought this was handled well - and with tact. The opinions were not forced on the reader; rather, we were left to make our own conclusions.

What I Didn't Like: As such a fan of Hemingway, there were two things in particular that bothered me. First of all was the language he used. I wanted to see some of his dialogue neatened, so it almost read a little more like his prose. I think I would have enjoyed the homage to his style and his concise use of words seen through the eyes of another author. It's one thing I think the aforementioned Midnight in Paris does exceptionally well. It's also a lot to ask of a writer, but again, I admit fully that this was going to be a lot to live up to for a reader like me!

Secondly, I found the prose, at times, too "family friendly." I am not a fan of vulgarity for vulgarity's sake, but there were times when I would have preferred stronger language and expressions. I think that a person like Hemingway - and likely Jack, based on his character - would not hold back on cursing. This is a writer's preference, but I am a big fan of realism (I know this is really a sort of magical realism here, but you understand). Sadly, there are a lot of reviewers and readers who will attack an author for using strong language, but it felt almost like it was missing at times. There were moments that just felt tame or underachieved because of the more PG-feel to the overall story.

My biggest challenge with the book, however, is something that is 100% personal and is probably limited to a small population of readers. Because I have degrees in literature and writing and I have taught both subjects, I have an extensive knowledge of the writers of the 1920's. Winton does a fantastic job weaving in Fitzgerald, John Dos Passos, and others alongside Hemingway; however, because I didn't need an introduction, there were large chunks of exposition that felt like they were taking away from deeper connections to those characters. This is absolutely my issue - the average reader probably actually doesn't know (or doesn't remember from high school English) that F. Scott Fitzgerald was named for Francis Scott Key, a distant relative. For me, the inclusion of this fact was unnecessary and I wanted a deeper level of "inside jokes" about the era. For most readers, this is actually ideal as it stands.

I really enjoyed this book - and I am glad I purchased it. As soon as I saw it mentioned on Facebook, I picked it up, because I had to read it! Even if you aren't a Hemingway fan, the story is about self-identity and self-discovery and is certainly a much needed philosophical look at how we live our lives. In fact, if you don't know much about Hemingway, you won't be nearly as focused on those details as I was! Check it out.

I give this book 3.5 totally biased whiskey and cigars out of 5.

[Rick Bylina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I try to review fairly. But I goofed and must atone for it. I misread the ad for this book. It was the author's other book that was compared to CITR and TKAM. While most of my review is focussed on what was between the sheets, I can't deny my goof influenced me. I'm bumping this up to a low 4.
- - - The original review below - - -
"Four Days" is an nice book with a unique premise, but it is not the next "Catcher in the Rye" or "To Kill a Mockingbird" as advertised. If you're looking for social epiphanies, look elsewhere. This story is about Jack Phalen's potential and an unclear atonement for Ernest Hemingway's life that I never did quite understand. The author has woven his version of the magical dream that many novelists have about writing a killer first novel and pulling their financial situation out of the fire by some miracle of divine intervention--here supplied by Papa. He helps Jack believe over a four day period in his innate abilities as a writer (with very, very thin skin) while he clings to life in a coma caused by his own stubbornness.

I'm not a Hemingway expert, but the story needed to delve deeper into Hemingway's life to raise this story to its lofty goals. Only the time spent in Cuba truly seemed filled with some magic and insight. Interesting dead people pop up during Jack's coma-induced journey with Papa, and though at times it felt like name dropping, some characters reinforced common writing tips Jack needs should he decided to remain amongst the living and write rather than go to the hereafter. However, the choice to remain never seemed in doubt.

And here's where Jack's journey falls off the map for me. I didn't care for the whiney Jack upon his return, the Jack who feels he's a modern day Job, beset by the recent economic difficulties while contemplating larceny when things get tight, needing not-so-subtle reminders that he's broken bread with a 50 year dead Ernest Hemingway and been in the unseen presence of the Lord. As a writer/reader, I'm a bit put off by Jack's hubris in dashing off a book, expecting instant success, and well, you'll not get the unrealistic spoiler from me. Suffice to say, I was left with a less than solid message from a book about messages. "Four Days" is a straddler. For some uniqueness and magic upfront, it could garner a four, but taking the whole book, it rates a top-notch "3" and that's not too bad.

[Sylvia Valevicius · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book a couple of years ago, but my kindle line-up was a long one. My interest in Hemingway was academic, since many years ago, I had written a grad thesis on the psychology of Hemingway's creativity.

Not a die-hard aficionado of Hemingway, per se, I am a curious reader, and finally was glad to get to Winton's book. And I find it a great book for true aficionados of the famed writer. Winton wins with this one!

Right off the bat, I loved the premise: original concept of the 'trip' while the protagonist was in a coma, because who really knows anyway what happens in the brain during that time? I had a brother (now long deceased) in a coma for four months, and it touched me that he may have had some pleasant adventures when we couldn't reach him. I'd like to believe that.

Writers and readers are partners. What a writer brings to each reader is so specifically personal, and thus can be particularly satisfying.

As I see it, Winton structures this novel almost as two different books. The first section is a delightful, nostalgic view of Hemingway, well-researched on Winton's part. Winton does a wonderful job with attention to detail, and skillfully weaves aspects of Hemingway's life through conversations and activities with the protagonist. The tone and diction are highly satisfying in this part of the book as Winton gives the old writer an authentic voice. Winton offers a variety of tone, as required, showing a command of his craft. The dialogue sparkles with natural grace, or bitter sadness, whatever is needed to show the reader the real Hemingway. I found this a charming read - a big five star.

The second half could have been compressed. The mood changes dramatically. Although, it held my interest as it deals with a writer's struggle (the protagonist's) to get a book published, and the harsh realities this endeavour entails.

All in all, the sense of whimsy and fantasy of the novel is the fulfilling part for me, and is not off-putting to a realist, as myself.

Loved it. Would give four and a half stars. But my enjoyment of person, time, and place that Winton offers, translates into a five -star affair!

Winton is a writer, alright!

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Four Days with Hemingway's Ghost" by Tom Winton is a remarkably original and cleverly written story.
The main character, Jack, a mild and ambiguous fan of Hemingway and his work, gets to meet his 'hero' while in a coma. He spends four days with him, talking about life, the afterlife, Hemingway's life and they even get to visit famous locations and people of the famous author's life.

What happens towards the end of the novel is somewhat of a surprise and I am reluctant to share much about it in a review. I don't want to hype your expectations either with promises of a huge twist but a change of direction takes place that is well fitting and surprising. Let it be sufficient that the storyline cracks open a new dimension and the effects of the meeting in the coma are turning the novel into something else altogether, and something good for that matter.

From the first paragraph I knew that Jack had a story to tell and that I would be wanting to hear it. For the entire book that desire to follow the plot did not diminish but actually intensified. I was surprised how much abotu Hemingway I remembered as he wanders through the story and talks about his life. The ending left me very satisfied and in awe of the story.

Interesting and cleverly written without pretence and self-indulgence this is very likeable and enjoyable to read. Winton handles the drama and literary heaviness without losing sight of necessary balance and distance via humour and wit.

Highly recommended.

[Paula Hrbacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Phelan is an underachiever who mows lawns for a living. While loading his riding mower onto a trailer, it flips, and he falls head first onto the concrete drive. He blacks out and goes into a coma.
The next thing he knows, he’s in Key West, looking at the Hemmingway home, which is now a museum. He senses someone standing right next to him, and when he turns around, he is greeted by the old man himself. It seems that Earnest has been sent by the man upstairs to test Jack and see if he should remain on Earth, or continue his journey in the next life.
During the next four days, Earnest takes Jack to all of his old watering holes and homes, in Key West, Cuba and Idaho. Earnest informs Jack that God wants him to write a book. He, and the other famous writers in his circle of friends, give Jack advice about writing and life.
The book is an enjoyable read for a fan of Hemmingway. It has a spattering of facts about Hemmingway’s life, and tries to see beyond the gruff exterior into a man who loved and hurt deeply. It gives some good advice to those who lack the courage to answer a calling: advice that anyone can take, even if they are not trying to become a published author.
The book has an average star rating of 4 ½ stars, and can be purchased in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.
I received the Kindle version for free by responding to a tweet on Twitter.

[Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was July of 1964 when I last visited Sun Valley Idaho. Like so many, the lure of Ketchum, only a few miles away, with the residence of Ernest Hemingway up a narrow dirt lane, was a powerful attractor to a sixteen year old boy, who only knew of the writer from his books, and so I undertook the journey up the Wood River Valley to Picabo Street. (Yes, the same name as the Olympic Gold Medalist. Perhaps her parents were also Hemingway fans.)

Now, communication then was not what communication is today. There was no internet, my family did not have a television and all that I knew on that day was that I wanted to see into the man, to gain some understanding of someone who could write with so much clarity and power but Ernest wasn't home when I knocked. His wife answered the door...

In 'Four Days With Hemingway's Ghost', I have come to gain much of the understanding that I sought forty eight years ago this very month. In this work, Tom Winton exposes the real man behind the words and he does it with the same clarity that characterizes the work of this mentor. Between these pages all will gain insight into a man whose writing changed modern literature forever. Vast, irreverent, witty and full of life, the real Ernest Hemingway will never die, and neither will that pencil.

[Annie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read Tom Winton's The Last American Martyr and enjoyed it very much, so I went for this book as it had received high praise at Amazon. So I got it on my Kindle and started reading. It has a great premise, with the main character (told in first person) having gone into a coma and visiting with Hemingway's Ghost during the four days he is out of it. The story proceeds with various escapades of the two hanging out and drinking together, visiting Hemingway haunts and homes, etc. But, alas, I was somewhat disappointed. It's almost as if this was a prototype of the story that got published instead of the real book. There could have been so much more told about their escapades, so much more description of the places and times, and much more depth to the characters. I was disappointed to not learn more about Hemingway and his colorful history. It ends abruptly without really telling the whole purpose of the story's set-up......God had wanted the protagonist to write the "real" story about Hemingway, but we don't learn enough about why. (Or maybe I just didn't get it ?) I was disappointed in this, but I'm not giving up on Winton yet. I'll try his other very well-received book Beyond Nostalgia next after I catch up with some other reading I'm working on.

[Juliette Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Phelan’s journey has just begun as he, while in a coma following a freak accident, is welcomed to Key West by Ernest Hemingway’s ghost who escorts the Floridian landscaper on a whirlwind four-day adventure. Traveling to tropical and personally meaningful locales, the two of them relive important events and experiences in both their lives as Jack struggles to regain his memory and consciousness. Along the way, we the reader, laugh, cry, and learn, as Jack faces challenge after challenge in his quest to discover his divine purpose.

Author Tom Winton’s words captivate; painting vivid scenes which leap from the page to the mind, exciting every sense with tantalizing description. He masterfully weaves the reader in and out between a dream-like state and harsh reality.

Once one journey ends, another begins. Life’s unexpected twists and bumps confront Jack at every turn and keep the reader guessing what’s next!

Treat yourself to this incredibly satisfying read that will reach the deepest recesses of one's soul.

[Gene Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spending Four Days with Hemingway's Ghost is a romp and a fun page turner...then the four days are up half way through the book. That is when the incredible writing really takes off and pulls you into life that is so real, so compelling, so much of a roller coaster that you cannot put it down.

I'm not even sure why Tom Winton put chapters in the last half of the book because you certainly don't want to put it down. More than that, you feel guilty if you do because you have become so invested in the lives of these people.

Real, hard hitting, compelling, and refreshingly honest. Are you sure this isn't in the non-fiction section of the bookstore? I seriously could not more highly recommend this book, but be ready for an emotional ride.

I also can't help wondering if this is autobiographical in any way...perhaps one day I'll get the opportunity to ask Tom Winton.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a nasty accident with a mower and a trailer, Jack Phelan finds himself in a coma. The lost four days are spent with Ernest Hemingway's on the 50th anniversary of his death. I learned a lot about Hemingway the man and his life. We watch Hemingway's reactions to a changed world as he revisits his old haunts and before long we realize Hemingway has been sent on a mission from  'Him upstairs' to spend four days with Jack to determine whether he comes out of his coma or not. Hemingway needs to determine whether Jack is up to the challenge or not which God has in store for him.  I wanted the four days with Hemingway to go on a little longer but I have to say loved the ending!

Entertaining, humorous and original, and with a great concept, Winton writes in a warm accessible style with an assured voice.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book, someone spending time with Hemingway’s ghost. There is some problems with the execution. The places were presented wonderfully but the people remained very two dimensional. I was very disappointed in the author spending so much of the book looking down on people who work. He spoke in a very demoralizing way about those that work hourly positions. I felt a little stupid for using my hard earned money to purchase his book and allow him to have a worthwhile career while I waste my time clocking in at the office. I am almost offended that the character contemplated suicide simply because his get rich quick idea hadn’t worked yet. This could have been an opportunity to show people the value of creativity just for the sake of the art but instead it’s only value in the dollars it brings.

[Vilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I downloaded it because it was free and I am so glad I did. It made me think about how, whether you believe or not, no-one really knows what can happen in this life or what might be real or not. It might sound silly, but I found myself thinking - 'could that really happen? Is it possible?' Then just when I thought that everything was going to be plain sailing it turned out to be even harder than ever before. I found myself rooting for the main character to do the right thing and to keep believing that things would turn out right and hoping that he wouldn't choose the wrong path. I like to believe that there is someone up there who is watching out for us and this book has strengthened that belief. I know this was fiction but for me it was so believable.

[Jenni Cavallero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I loved the completely different light it shed on Ernest Hemingway. The first half of the book is very entertaining and captivating, while the tone of the book does change going into the second half. I, however, was still captivated because it gives a realistic idea of the process a writer goes through while attempting to publish. I loved reading about his personal experience and it helped bloom a greater love of Hemingway within me.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When time
becomes unreal, what is left but to believe in the here and now - maybe.
Hemingway as an idol to only a prospective writer is hard comprehend, but when
the idol becomes a friend on a mission from "Him" above - the mind boggles.
Reality settles its nasty little head however in the present, with multitudes of
problems, disillusions and anguish. Where is the middle ground?
The story is told with deft skill and indeed a pleasure to read.

[Maggie Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was difficult to rate this book, because it dealt with material that didn't really apply to me or that interested me. It would if I were looking for an inspirational book written by someone about how their talent as a writer was born - or if I were an Ernest Hemingway buff, but I'm neither, which is why I gave this rating 4 stars, rather than 5. Still, it was written well, and I'll be interested in seeing other work written by Tom.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can tell the author has a plot, but I don't like the style of his writing. The beginning was already boring I kept on reading, maybe it will picked-up halfway of the story, but it didn't.

It's a guy who meet an accident, apparently in a state between dying, but God spare him, and giving him a second life. Since, a dying man was a writer, so he met Hemingway's ghost, while in coma(both ghost are talking to each other) Hemingway telling him what God to be expected of him.

[Soo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded this book because it was a freebie on Amazon, which was posted in a Facebook group I'd been invited too. What a gift!

I really, really loved this book! I loved the storyline, the characters, the writing style...everything! This is a book that I wanted to last longer and it has whetted my appetite for more of Tom Winton's work.

[Kat Collins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. I made it halfway, but kept putting it aside to finish other books instead. I decided I couldn't force myself to finish it. I felt like I was reading a different version of A Christmas Carol with Scrooge. Only this time it was Hemingway and a dying man. Totally bummed because I had hoped for so much more.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way Tom Winton writes and this book did not let me down. The idea of meeting up with Hemingway whilst in a coma was fascinating. I wanted the Hemingway part of the story to go on a little longer but it had to finish and Jack had to come back to the real world. Can't wait to read another of Mr Winton's books.