I am a Hemingway Hater

Makes me feel queasy even in digital form.

I am not going to make many friends this week as I have come to realise with some surprise that Ernest Hemingway is a hero of many at Write on the Water. As the title states, not only do I not care for him, but I actually dislike his novels including "The Sun Also Rises" and "Farewell to Arms." I agree his writing style is excellent, but his narratives are boring, dealing with stupid people doing trivial things. I have tried but cannot read them. Anyone who thinks otherwise lacks my incredibly sophisticated taste.

But putting aside how terrible Hemingway's books are, my distaste is a good example and lesson about differences of opinion about books. If I feel differently about such an apparently beloved author, how can I not expect some people not to like my blog. How can Michael Haskins not expect some people from disliking "Chasin' the Wind" or CE Grundler the "Last Exit" despite her word cuts?

Even further, I argue that writers should consider dislike and criticism as positive signs. If Hemingway was not something special, I would not care enough to try to read his novels and end up disliking them. And if he was not so well written, I could toss him aside as just another James Michener. Ouch! That's right. So, Tom Tripp, do not fear your critique group.

So now that I have hopefully offended everyone, what author(s) do you dislike that everyone else likes? Feel free to put on that list as I will take it as a complement. Or what do you dislike that most others like? I hate corn on the cob even more than I dislike Hemingway. Take that Mike Jastrzebski.

If you would like to take this to the next level, head over to my blog Waves. Today as on every Wednesday, I should have hopefully posted an article about the events leading up to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show including tonight's free "Boat Show Night Out."

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