May 20, 2015

Wednesday Writing Wisdom (8) Ernest Hemingway





“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”



Ernest Hemingway
(1899,  Illinois, SUA –  1961)

Curious facts about:



He was a cat person. In 1931, Hemingway was given a very special cat. She was a white polydactyl, meaning she had six toes due to a genetic mutation, and he called her “Snowball.” Hemingway became obsessed with this rare mutation and ended up with about 50 of them running freely around his Key West property. In fact, Hemingway did so much to promote the breed through his writing that polydactyl cats are now sometimes referred to as “Hemingway cats.”

In the 1940’s, Hemingway worked closely with the Soviet KGB. He went under the cover name “Argo.” Edgar Hoover and many FBI officials spied on him for much of his later life. Some even claim this added level of pressure deepened his depression and later led him to take his own life.

During his life, Hemingway survived exposure to anthrax, malaria, skin cancer, and pneumonia. He lived through diabetes, two plane crashes, a ruptured kidney, hepatitis, a ruptured spleen, a fractured skull, a crushed vertebra, and the only thing he could not stop was himself. Ultimately, Hemingway took his favorite gun and went to the foyer where he put two rounds into his head after returning from the Mayo Clinic.

6 comments:

  1. An American classic for sure, and highly regarded in south Florida especially. Brilliant writer. Thank goodness a sad end doesn't preclude writing genius. Thanks so much for sharing.

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    1. Yes, a classic in the real sense of the word, I agree. His life is worth a novel I think. Full of events -- war, spying, hunting, boxing and so on. Above all writing. Thanks for checking the post today, Flossie!

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  2. Such a sad ending for a brilliant writer. I would love to visit his estate and see all those cats roaming around. One of these days! :)

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    1. For a man with a tough character I wouldn't have seen him as a cat person. More a dog lover. But you know, appearances are deceptive.
      Thanks for dropping by, Mae!

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  3. And that's exactly how I felt yesterday, Carmen. Whew! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I am now in the LWS -- Loser Writer Syndrome! I understand you completely. Thanks for visiting, Mary!

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