5 Notable Books by Ernest Hemingway

Born on July 21st, 1899, to a physician father and a musician mother, Ernest Hemingway grew up in a cultured yet conservative environment. His adult life was marked by war, constant traveling, and exciting adventures, all of which can be felt in his work. Hemingway’s prose is daring, often gritty, and unapologetically raw. Let’s explore five of his must-read books.

Ernest Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. His uneventful upbringing would then change into a tumultuous adolescence. He first worked as a reporter for The Kansas City Star for a few months after finishing high school. After this, he enlisted as an ambulance driver for the Italian Front in World War I. This experience would leave a lasting mark—or rather, a scar—which can be felt in his work.

Two months in, he was seriously wounded while delivering goods. Despite his injuries, he insisted on driving Italian soldiers to safety. This heroic act earned him The Italian War Merit Cross. Upon returning home, he accepted a job offer as a correspondent for the Toronto Star, a freelance position that would soon become a permanent one.

With a secure income, Hemingway moved to Paris together with his first wife Hadley Richardson, whom he married in 1921. In France, the author became a part of what Gertrude Stein described as The Lost Generation. This group of writers and artists included names such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, T. S. Eliot, Pablo Picasso, and James Joyce.

It was Gertrude Stein who introduced Hemingway to many writers and artists in her salon, but their relationship deteriorated at one point after an argument. Hemingway criticized her for her constant need for publishing, something he didn’t believe was necessary.

From Paris, Hemingway traveled across the world, taking up residence in many different places. He went to Spain to watch the bullfighters that he admired and frequently wrote about. He lived in Cuba and fell in love with the island. He also took trips to hunt in Africa. Hemingway lived what people would come to call a macho lifestyle, embracing adventure and danger. His books reflect this daring spirit.

First published in 1926 to mixed reviews, the status of The Sun Also Rises has radically changed to the point where it is now considered Hemingway’s most important work. The novel tells the story of Jake Barnes, a man who is impotent due to a war wound, living in 1920’s Paris. It explores his relationships with several other characters as they travel together to Spain.

Lady Brett Ashley is the most important one here. This promiscuous divorced lady has a deep connection with the protagonist that could never be fully realized due to his inability to engage in physical relationships. So, she engages in affairs with his friends and acquaintances, ranging from American expatriates to Spanish bullfighters. Critics have described their relationship as Jake being able to give her love without sex, and Brett being able to give sex without love. All of this results in an unsolvable tragedy.

The events of The Sun Also Rises were inspired by Hemingway’s own trips to Pamplona to watch the bullfights that he was so interested in. He went for the first time in 1923 with his wife Hadley and returned the following two years. In 1925, he even took a number of friends with him. The group included a recently divorced British lady and her lover as well. As Hemingway was attracted to that lady and jealous of her lover, the two men had a public fistfight. Upon returning home to Paris, Hemingway initially planned to write a nonfiction book about bullfighting. However, he decided that this eventful trip provided enough material for a novel, so he began working on what would eventually become The Sun Also Rises.

When Hemingway first started experimenting with narrative writing and exploring areas other than journalism, the short story format became his favorite. Men Without Women was the second collection of short stories written by Hemingway. It was published in 1927, and it included 14 stories, 10 of which were previously published in magazines. Among these stories are some of his most celebrated ones like Fifty Grand, Ten Indians, and The Killers. The latter was the basis for the 1946 Film Noir directed by Robert Siodmak. The most celebrated story in the collection is Fifty Grand—a tale about a fighter who bets against himself.

The topics of Men Without Women range from infidelity to war. Much like Hemingway’s earlier published works, Men Without Women divided critics. Some, like Ray Long, described it as a remarkable piece of realism. Others, like Joseph Wood Krutch, called it “sordid little catastrophes involving very vulgar people.”

3. A Farewell to Arms (1929)

Ernest Hemingway’s first bestseller came in 1929 with the publication of A Farewell to Arms. Inspired by his own experiences as an ambulance driver, the novel tells a story that takes place during World War I. The narrative revolves around Frederic, an injured soldier fighting for the Italian Front, and his relationship with a nurse named Catherine. The two fall in love while she is taking care of his wounds. He is soon forced to return to battle, all the while knowing that Catherine is pregnant with their child. This ultimately leads Frederic to leave the army and seek a quiet life with Catherine.

The reception for A Farewell to Arms was overwhelmingly positive, and to this day, critics consider it one of Hemingway’s greatest literary achievements. Nonetheless, there were a few exceptions. The book was banned and censored in many places around the world, notably in Italy, where the Fascist regime considered it insulting to the Italian army. Hemingway himself never participated in the battles he wrote about in A Farewell to Arms.

Hemingway is an author known for writing about traveling, bullfighting, and war. For Whom the Bell Tolls is his signature war novel. It is set during the Spanish Civil War, a conflict Hemingway witnessed firsthand while working as a reporter. He wrote the novel in Havana, Cuba, and published it in 1940. Like the plot of A Farewell to Arms, this novel also sees a soldier falling in love with a woman. The narrative revolves around the American soldier Robert Jordan who is fighting for the leftist Republicans against the Fascist Nationals. He ends up falling in love with Maria, a woman whose life has been shattered by the war.

For Whom the Bell Tolls was released to wide acclaim. However, Hemingway did not win the Pulitzer Prize for it because, as the head of the board disliked it. The book was banned in many places, with Spain being the first one, due to the reign of the Fascist regime. Many adaptations of this work were made for the silver screen, but the most memorable one is the 1943 film directed by Sam Wood. This film adaptation starred Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, two leading figures of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

5. A Moveable Feast (1964): Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell

The final book on our list happens to be Ernest Hemingway’s memoir, which was published posthumously in 1964. In 1961, Hemingway had taken his own life in his Ketchum home. His suicide complicated publication significantly due to copyright issues. Eventually A Moveable Feast was published by Hemingway’s widow. The memoir consists of around twenty chapters which mainly focus on Hemingway’s years in Paris. In his memoir, the author wrote about evenings at Gertrude Stein’s literary saloon, weekend excursions at the horse races, and skiing trips with his wife.

A Moveable Feast is a testament to Hemingway’s incredible prose. He succeeds in making his own life as a writer sound just as exciting as the lives of his heroic protagonists. Through Hemingway’s words, the French city also comes to life in a unique way. It feels like the heart of art and literature, pulsating with great sensibility, offering its guests the perfect setting for their creative output.