The Garden of Eden

There's something truly fascinating about an author's last uncompleted novel.

This particular book contains a great deal of good old-fashioned cleverness. It's the kind that harks back to those 9th grade English class discussions at 7:35 am, which often felt like pulling teeth. The Adam and Eve motif is present, along with the slow transition from nameless characters to named ones and back again. However, there's also some rather strange stuff going on.

In 2024, when we are so familiar with topics such as gender dysphoria, polyamory, and sexuality, it's a little odd to read this story. Reading Hemingway write about it is almost like when your grandpa describes a character he likes in a TV show using extremely outdated language. You might think, "Aw, Pop Pop! It's nice that you're trying, but also please never say that again."

This feeling persists throughout hundreds of pages.

Bottom line: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

(3.5 / Thanks to the publisher for the copy)

For those who haven't read Ernest Hemingway [poor thing ;)], I believe it's advisable not to start with this book.

I would say it's better to first become familiar with his other works in order to then be able to appreciate The Garden of Eden as well.

Meanwhile, this is the last novel written by Hemingway before his suicide, written, rewritten, expanded, corrected, revised, and then posthumously published at the behest of his last wife Mary, edited by her and the publisher, so in a sense it's impure.

Nevertheless, it reflects his style: autobiographical, with all dialogues seemingly empty but an indicator of deep ailments that were none other than the ailments of Hemingway himself.

It's the story of the morbid relationship between two young newlyweds that, just as it's born, begins to crumble: he, a writer obsessed with writing, always in search of new creative stimuli, she, rich, beautiful, and eccentric, gradually slipping into an unstoppable madness always in search of herself and new experiences, even sensual ones, which the husband is initially passively involved in, but which leads both to an insane relationship that culminates in an amorous and erotic triangle with a young American met during the aimless wanderings of the two along the streets of the small towns of the French Riviera.

There are the places dear to the American writer: the love for Europe, for Spain, for the French Riviera with its golden and sunny beaches, its good wine and cuisine, for the cafes experienced as temples of inspiration and conviviality, for those days lost in the sweet idleness of the well-off, for Africa, a land deeply known by Hemingway and lived by him in his frequent hunting experiences. In this novel, there is a lot of this writer who is very dear to me, but perhaps there is something that doesn't entirely belong to him, like the intervention of a foreign hand that only shows through between the lines and perhaps jars.

Her hair was cropped as short as a boy’s. It was cut with no compromises. It was brushed back, heavy as always, but the sides were cut short and the ears that grew close to her head were clear. The tawny line of her hair was cropped close to her head, smooth and sweeping back. She turned her head and lifted her breasts and said, “Kiss me please.”

“You see,” she said. “That’s the surprise. I’m a girl. But now I’m a boy too and I can do anything and anything and anything.
The Garden of Eden ~~~ Ernest Hemingway

This January, I made a resolute decision to take a profound dive into the works of one of my all-time favorite writers, \n   Ernest Hemingway\n. My aim was not only to explore his later and unpublished masterpieces but also to revisit his captivating short stories.

My very first Hemingway read of January 2023 was The Garden of Eden.

Since Hemingway’s untimely death in 1961, his estate and his publishers, Charles Scribner’s Sons, have been engaged in a continuous process of catching up with his literary legacy. They have been issuing the works which, for various reasons, he did not publish during his lifetime. He held back A Moveable Feast out of a genuine concern for the feelings of the people in it who might still be alive. However, for the novel Islands in the Stream, he seems to have had editorial misgivings. Even more significantly in this category is The Garden of Eden, which he began in 1946 and worked on intermittently in the last 15 years of his life, leaving it unfinished. It is a highly engaging and readable story, although perhaps not exactly the book he had originally envisioned. As published, it is composed of 30 short chapters running to approximately 70,000 words. A publisher’s note advises that \n  some cuts\n have been made in the manuscript. However, according to Carlos Baker, at one point, a revised manuscript of the work ran to 48 chapters and 200,000 words, so the publisher’s note may not be entirely forthcoming. In an interview with The New York Times, a Scribners editor admitted to taking out a subplot in rough draft that he felt had not been integrated into \n  the main body\n of the text. This cut, unfortunately, reduced the book’s length by two-thirds.

No American writer since Mark Twain has so completely captivated and entranced his readers to the extent that Hemingway did. His success had a quality of simplicity and naturalness that was truly breathtaking.

I consider Hemingway not only one of the finest novelists of the twentieth century but also one of the two greatest American writers of all time, the other, of course, being Mark Twain. In my opinion, his novels The Sun Also Rises, and For Whom the Bell Tolls rank at the very pinnacle of the American literary tradition. Hemingway’s nonfiction pieces are also great reads and are without parallel in his exceptional combination of memoir and literature. And then there are the many excellent stories and vignettes, with The Nick Adams Stories being among the finest of these pieces. Lastly, there is the brilliant The Old Man and the Sea.

Upon reading, it is not at all surprising that it took Hemingway 15 years to write The Garden of Eden; nor is it unexpected that the book was not published until 25 years after he passed away. This story is truly unique among Hemingway’s works. It is dark and dangerously bold. Hemingway described this book’s theme as \n  the happiness of the Garden that a man must lose.\n It is about the loss of innocence and a shedding of naivety, the realization that the world is far more complicated and uncontrollable than one could have ever imagined. At the center of the book are four relationships: one between David and Catherine, newlywed Americans honeymooning in Europe; one between Catherine and Marita, a young woman she discovers and begins a romantic relationship with; one between David and Marita, whose own relationship is encouraged by Catherine; and the final one, a ménage-a-tois between the three, which is simultaneously necessary and destructive.

Catherine and David are two of the most compelling characters from Jazz Age literature. They are, by far, the most well-rounded and interesting of Hemingway’s couples, particularly Catherine. Hemingway is often criticized for his treatment of women in literature. However, Catherine is tragically beautiful. She is written with a deeply felt honesty that one can only imagine was truly painful for Hemingway to put in print. The evolution of her character and the devolution of her sanity were impossible to ignore, even when the character turned petty or when the subject matter became bizarre. Hemingway’s development of Catherine and her growth throughout the story made it clear that she was not strange just for the sake of being strange. Similarly, the husband David was not just passive or submissive but truly loving and sadly lost. The minor characters, such as David’s father who is present only through David’s stories, and the hotel keeper, are well-written and important to the plot, serving as contrast characters and biographical anchors.

I AM a huge fan of Hemingway’s prose, which is simple, plain, and mild, made up of short sentences, sparse dialogue, and little creative expression. What sets The Garden of Eden, apart is that Hemingway maintains his signature style but adds two elements. One is a character, David, who is a writer and who explains why he writes the way he does. The other is that he adds a certain level of emotion to the same sparse style: drama, disappointment, fear, passion, and eroticism. Hemingway typically leaves the emotional side of his stories to be inferred. The Garden of Eden is similar in that respect but not exactly the same. It breaks the mold and adds an interesting dynamic to the writing style of one who is already considered to be a master craftsman, further supporting the fact that Hemingway was groundbreaking in his prose.

Had it not been for the novel’s style and prose, which is clearly Hemingway, it would have been difficult to believe that Papa had written this book. There is a great deal of sentimentalism and raw emotion, which is typically lacking in Hemingway’s novels. Also, Hemingway delves deeply into the exploration of gender roles and \n  taboo” sexuality\n, including reversed masculinity/femininity and bisexuality. The primary relationship in the book is a \n  ménage-a-trois.\n The major conflict is Catherine’s mental degradation and psychosis, a psychological instability that becomes more intrusive and violent as the story progresses. All of this, coupled with Hemingway discussing his own writing process through his own story’s writer, David, who finds himself evaluating his own process, manages to create a work that is highly dangerous and incredibly ahead of its time.

Despite its shortcomings, such as Marita being grossly underdeveloped, The Garden of Eden is a rich story worthy of being read on multiple levels. It is highly recommended.

I can understand why many readers, especially Hemingway fans, would find this book (as well as Islands in the Stream, for that matter) to be a pointless slog through the author's psyche.

The story is kind of weird, lacking any significant action to speak of. The girlfriend swap aspect showcases Hemingway at his most misogynistic. Moreover, the book is unfinished.

However, Hemingway's beautiful portrayals of the people and places are what make Garden of Eden my most favorite book. I know this might sound like the cheesiest line of all time, but here goes: this book transports me.

When I read it, I feel like I am a participant in a world that Hemingway has created. He has me completely convinced that happiness is a beach and plenty of alcohol.

The detailed descriptions of the characters' emotions and the vivid landscapes make the story come alive. It's as if I can smell the salty air of the beach and taste the tang of the alcohol.

Despite its flaws, Garden of Eden has a certain charm that keeps me coming back for more. It's a unique and unforgettable reading experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I don't give many novels five star ratings.

However, in this case, it is truly deserved.

This book is a very heavy dose and has elicited an emotional reaction in me that few other books have been able to achieve.

I was completely stunned while reading it due to the profound issues and topics it tackles.

Although it was written a long time ago, it still manages to feel modern and highly relevant.

I am aware that this story is loosely based on Hemingway's life, and readers of "A Moveable Feast" will quickly recognize and understand the connections.

The author has done an excellent job of weaving a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

The characters are well-developed and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Overall, this is a must-read for anyone who loves literature and wants to experience a truly powerful and moving story.

I truly wish to live within the pages of this book.

Envision a world filled with the intense warmth of the hard sun, where one can freely swim in the vast and inviting sea. Sip on martinis and perriers, surrounded by the beauty of fig trees and beach pine woods.

Afternoons are spent dozing off in a room that resembles the one painted by Van Gogh, filled with a unique charm and tranquility.

The delightfully described gender play of love and sexuality is both twisted and yet pure, adding an element of mystery and allure to the story.

Overall, this book is clean, lean, and beautiful, a true treat for the senses and the imagination. It offers a escape from the ordinary and a chance to experience a world of beauty, passion, and wonder.

I long to be a part of this fictional realm and lose myself in its captivating pages.

Different than most of his collection, this piece is a truly fascinating character study. It delves deep into the psyche of the subject, exploring their thoughts, emotions, and motivations. The details are so vivid that you can almost feel as if you are inside the character's mind. It's a captivating exploration that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The author's skill in bringing this character to life is truly remarkable. You find yourself empathizing with the character, understanding their struggles and joys. It's not just a simple story; it's a profound examination of the human condition. This character study stands out as a unique and unforgettable piece within the collection, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is The Night was met with criticism from Hemingway in a letter.

Hemingway accused Fitzgerald of taking liberties with people's pasts and futures, creating faked case histories instead of real people. He also claimed Fitzgerald couldn't think and that he needed discipline in his work.

Ironically, Hemingway himself created semi-autobiographical works, like The Garden of Eden, which was published posthumously in a condensed form.

This book features a complex love story and explores gender issues. The protagonist, David Bourne, is a writer on honeymoon with his wife Catherine when they meet Marita and begin a three-way affair.

The book also includes another narrative about David's hunting trip to Africa with his father. Hemingway seemed to be competing with other writers, as seen in his attempt to out-write Fitzgerald and Faulkner.

Despite being different from his usual prose, The Garden of Eden is a worthy read, although it's only a fraction of what was originally written.

It would have been fascinating to see how Hemingway would have handled a six-person partner swap, but for now, we'll have to be content with the current version.

I highly recommend giving it a try.