Authumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and His Last Muse by Andrea di Robilant - 4 stars, Trim

[Booknblues]

I am a bit of a Hemingway junkie, so I was excited to see Autumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and His Last Muse. I was pleased to read this and it completed a journey for me which started by reading his A Moveable Feast, followed by The Paris Wife, Beautiful Exiles, Love and Ruin and True at First Light.

Hemingway visits Venice with his fourth wife Mary Welsh and meets young, Adriana Ivancich and becomes infatuated with her. This book is their story. Robilant researched it well and referenced letters to Adriana, Adriana's letters to Hemingway and Mary's diary.

While Hemingway maintained his friendship with Adriana, he was at the top of his game and wrote The Old Man and the Sea for which he received a Noble.

I found this book very interesting and it seems to present Hemingway true to form.

[AsimovsZeroth]

I love Hemmingway, but you've made me realize I haven't actually read many biographies about him. Just articles. I'm definitely going to add this one to my list, but I think I'd like to start with something that covers a broader period of his life. Do you have any recommendations?

[Amy]

Thank you for the recommendation! Not only have I added it to my secret phone TBR I have also added it to my fall flurries list for November! This would be a great one to read seven November as I know I would really enjoy it and it would ful fill a difficult category. I’m excited to pick it up when I get the chance.

[AsimovsZeroth]

Amy wrote: "Thank you for the recommendation! Not only have I added it to my secret phone TBR I have also added it to my fall flurries list for November! This would be a great one to read seven November as I k..."

Ohhh. A secret phone TBR? Intriguing.

[Joanne]

LiteraryMania wrote: "Amy wrote: "Thank you for the recommendation! Not only have I added it to my secret phone TBR I have also added it to my fall flurries list for November! This would be a great one to read seven Nov..."

...............you have no idea LOL

[Amy]

LM- happy to share my obsession with managing the TBR. I consider myself the Faux Pretender of TBR slashing. With this group it’s easy to grow grow grow it, and not so easy to actually pare down and get through it. But I have made public my methods and to everyone’s amusement and glee, it’s an experiment worth watching. That said, it may be an illusion at best.

[Booknblues]

LiteraryMania wrote: "I love Hemmingway, but you've made me realize I haven't actually read many biographies about him. Just articles. I'm definitely going to add this one to my list, but I think I'd like to start with ..."

I've never actually read a full biography of Hemingway, but have pretty much pieced together his life, by reading historical fiction books about him and his memoirs.
I read the following about his first marriage and life in Paris in the 1920's:
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway -memoir
The Paris Wife by Paula McClain -fiction

Hemingway when he was met Martha Gellhorn and reported about the Spanish Civil War through WWII:
Love and Ruin by Paula McClain-fiction
Beautiful Exiles by Meg Clayton White-fiction

Hemingway's fourth marriage to Mary Welsh and time in Africa:
True at First Light by Ernest Hemingway-memoir

Hemingway's fourth marriage to his death:
Autumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and His Last Muse- nonfiction


One I have on my list and haven't read is

Papa Hemingway: A Personal Memoir by A.E Hothcner ( I expect this is about his life from the 1950's on as Hotchner became acquainted with him about that time and worked with him on a number of projects.

All of the fictional works I listed are quite well done and pretty accurately reflect his personality, I believe.

[Booknblues]

Amy wrote: "Thank you for the recommendation! Not only have I added it to my secret phone TBR I have also added it to my fall flurries list for November! This would be a great one to read seven November as I k..."

While this isn't really a fiction, I think you would like it as it completes the story started in Love and Ruin.

I haven't read all of Hemingway's books, but I have read a number. I love that he transformed fiction by created a sparer prose. His depiction of women and his treatment of women is pretty horrific, but he is a compelling character.

I find the way he lived and the things which he did pretty fascinating.