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Having read several of Hemingway's longer novels (The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls) I looked forward to this collection with great anticipation. I only gave high marks to roughly a third of the offerings, however those 23 stories account for almost 75% of the pages in the book. You can set a scene; you can paint a picture, but you cannot tell a story.
Alas, it proved to be the star of the collection.While several of the remaining stories were certainly outstanding (in particular "Fifty Grand", A Way You'll never Be", "Under the Ridge", "An African Story" and "I Guess Everything Reminds You of Something"), a number of the stories were less than spectacular. Those stories which ran beyond 6-8 pages were, by and large quite enjoyable.Having read several of Hemingway's longer works and found them to be, in some cases, in need of editing, and now having read a number of his works which can only be described as overly brief, I'm left with the opinion that he is best enjoyed in those works of 10-200 pages, not coincidentally the length of his Pulitzer Prize winning novella, "The Old Man and the Sea".I'm struck by a passage in "For Whom the Bell Tolls" in which the Communist partisan Pilar recounts the revolution within her village in which the Fascists (a/k/a the successful citizens) were rounded up and murdered. My appetite was only whetted with the first story in the collection, "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", which I found to be magnificent.
I counted ten such SHORT SHORT short stories and another fifteen only slightly longer. Particularly disappointing were the numerous efforts of under 750 words. Now, you may be a brilliant writer, and even a master of the art of story telling, but in my opinion, you cannot tell a story in two pages.
Those twenty pages, lifted out, would have qualified as one of the greatest short stories ever written, yet it becomes somewhat lost in a story that wanders at times.Certainly, this book will be enjoyed by anyone who has developed a taste for Hemingway and to a lesser extent, those who enjoy the art of the short story. The other efforts are simply too short for my taste, and they account for a majority of the stories in the collection.
It shouldn't be overlooked that Hemingway wrote some swell novels, but I've always felt that on a general level, he seemed to reach the fullest potentials of his talent with his short stories. This edition is without a doubt the best to get, as it works perfectly both to newcomers and old-timers alike, with some interesting, previously unpublished material. In stories such as Hills Like White Elephants, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and A Clean Well Lighted Place, his crisp vocabulary is done complete justice through some astounding characterizations, observations and reflections. His writing appears so spontaneous that I often find myself reading certain lines over and over again, eager to figure out if a human mind could possibly write such good stuff down on first attempt. If I've got a complaint it must be that the text is rather small, it gets hard to read over longer periods, but maybe that's just me. In any case, the material in itself is magnificent and should be kept not only on your bookshelf but on your bedside.
Some of these works are good, others are bad and some are down write hilarious as it seems some folks will write anything to get published. I am not overly fond of his novels, ergo; I don't read them over and over again; this, again, is a personal choice. This last statement has nothing to do with this volume being reviewed; I just felt like throwing it in.Finally, I have seen at least three of these anti Hemingway phases in my life time and seen as many pro Hemingway spells as well. As I pointed out, I enjoy this author's short stories much more than I enjoy his novels.
I started reading this author's work years before his tragic death and continue to read his works. At present we seem to be going through a period where Hemingway is "out," and to appear "in," we have all sorts of people biting at his heels, making light of his work, branding it politically incorrect, grousing about this and snipping at that; referring to him as a chauvinistic pig, questioning his musicality, challenging his originality.and the list goes on and on and on. I cannot stand Joyce's writing and therefore I do not read his work. The first is The First Forty-nine, the second is Short Stories Published in Books or Magazines Subsequent to "The First Forty-nine,' and third we have Previously Unpublished Fiction.
If you cannot stand the writing of Hemingway, then this is an edition you probably should not purchase. I have several friends who love the work of James Joyce. That does not make the taste of my friends bad, or wrong, nor does it make the work of Joyce anything but great, it just shows that we each have our own favorite flavor of goodies. Had I listened to this current fussing about Hemingway's writing, and not bothered to read him myself, I would have missed out on a reading experience that has given me much pleasure over the years. We go through literary phases in our society with some author being "in" while others are "out," and sometimes these phases swing from one side to the other, much as our government does.
We sort of get to grow up with the author through his writing.If you enjoy reading the works of Hemingway, then this is certainly the edition you should purchase. If you have never read Hemingway's short stories, then this is certainly the edition you should purchase. If you are one of those that have never read his work, but have jumped on the "lets kick Hem around a bit" band wagon; then shame on you. Read him before you kick him. I have a copy of The First Forty-nine here, and it is certainly good, but this particular collection I am reviewing here is far, far better. This is a personal choice, as I am rather fond of his short stories. I also must admit to probably being for fascinated with Hemingway the man, than the writings of the man, in many ways, if indeed it is possible to separate the two.
Now that being said.This collection, The Finca Vigia Edition, is by far the best and most comprehensive gathering of the short stories by Ernest Hemingway I have come across. The book is broken down into various sections. There are many, many biographies in print now, and more coming out as each year passes. I suppose I will see more.if I live long enough.Don BlankenshipThe Ozarks
The paper on the inside feels like it's made out of recycled newspaper. I saw that someone complained about the soft paperback cover; it is true. But, can you seriously beat this collection. If you buy the paperback, it peels and quickly begins to wear. I take great care of my books, but this cover just falls apart anyway. Every short story that the man has ever written. It is still a great purchase.
This book was shipped in a great used condition. There is no sign of any writing, highlighting, or damage. I appreciated business with this seller.
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