First published 2011
Paul Hendrickson examines Ernest Hemingway during his last twenty-seven years, from 1934 until his 1961 suicide. The author uses Hemingway's fishing cruiser Pilar as the focal point for understanding this turbulent period. Hendrickson follows the writer across continents, from Key West to Paris, New York, Africa, Cuba, and Idaho, showing how he returned repeatedly to his boat for solace and escape. The book draws on unpublished materials and interviews with Hemingway's sons to reveal a more complex portrait than the typical view of him as a great writer but terrible person. Hendrickson explores Hemingway's capacity for generosity alongside his well-documented flaws of alcoholism, depression, and anger. The narrative pays particular attention to his relationship with his youngest son Gigi, a doctor who lived as a cross-dresser and died alone in a Miami jail. Through this lens, Hendrickson argues that both father and son showed remarkable bravery while struggling against powerful internal conflicts. The book offers readers a nuanced understanding of America's literary giant fifty years after his death.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, nuanced-portrait
Setting: Africa, Cuba, Idaho, Key West, Miami, New York, Paris
Period: 1934, 1961
534 pages · Hardcover · Alfred A. Knopf
Content warnings: alcohol-abuse, depression, suicide