Is it possible to love a book just for the atmosphere it creates, the pictures you get when reading it? Certainly.

There was, and still is, a great deal of pressure and expectations placed on any Hemingway novel.

It is true that some of his works are better than others, and some may not quite meet the high standard one would expect from such a highly acclaimed author.

However, who am I to judge how an author's life should be permitted to influence his works?

In “Across the River and into the Trees,” Hemingway strikes a remarkably melancholic tone, a tone that I recognize from Thomas Mann's Death in Venice.

The scenery is similar, with death lurking nearby. You think about your life, the one you always wished you had lived and the one that it actually turned out to be, and it is far too late to change anything.

Past loves, pastimes that have passed, wars you have fought in, friends you used to have, some gone and some just so distant, all are memories. Some memories are clear, while others are like shadows, but they are all just memories.

You long to relive it all, and the heavy, low-hanging mist not only obscures your vision of the ducks you are hunting but also blocks the mirror through which you are attempting to see your life.

I love this book for this very reason. I can physically sense the mist covering everything, I can feel the pain of the colonel, and I can envision Venice in the misty morning.

It creates a vivid and immersive experience that draws me in and makes me feel as if I am a part of the story.

He should have been banned from writing about women.

His portrayal of women in his works was often inaccurate and demeaning.

He seemed to have a limited understanding of the complexity and diversity of women's experiences.

His writing failed to capture the true essence and strength of women.

By continuing to write about women in such a way, he was perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misunderstandings.

It was clear that he was not capable of presenting a fair and respectful view of women.

Therefore, it would have been appropriate to ban him from writing about this topic until he could improve his perspective and writing skills.

This would have protected the dignity and rights of women and ensured that his works did not cause further harm or offense.

Perhaps with time and reflection, he could have learned to write about women in a more positive and empowering way.

But until then, a ban was a necessary measure to safeguard the integrity of women's representation in literature.

A touching and romantic story about the reality of people.

We carry our past with us no matter what we do.

If one knew that he would not survive, would he not spend the remaining few hours beside his beloved? We all make mistakes...

This story makes us think about the value of time and the importance of our relationships. We often take things for granted and do not realize how precious they are until it is too late. The characters in the story face difficult choices and have to deal with the consequences of their actions. It shows us that love is not always easy, but it is worth fighting for. Through their experiences, we learn about forgiveness, acceptance, and the power of love to heal. This story is a reminder that we should cherish every moment with the people we love and not let our past mistakes define us.

One of the last novels penned by Hemingway, this work offers a swift and engaging read.

The average chapter length is a mere six pages, and the dialogue far outweighs the exposition. Hemingway's characteristic spare and direct style is on full display here.

With his gruff and muscular tone, and his penchant for war, drinking, fighting, and love, the novel is surprisingly free from obscenity.

The story revolves around an older American former Army colonel who is smitten with a teenage Italian countess.

The narrative spans just a few days at the conclusion of their relationship. Set in Venice, the novel beautifully evokes the charm of that city.

There is a tenderness in the relationship between the colonel and the countess; he refers to her as his last and only true love.

They spend their time dining, strolling through the city, and taking gondola rides along the canals.

He regales her with tales of war and life in America, and they playfully plot their future as a married couple in America, though they both know it will never come to pass.

One of Hemingway's talents was to extract art from war. He achieved this with the Spanish Civil War in For Whom the Bell Tolls, the First World War in A Farewell to Arms, and here with the aftermath of the Second World War.

He almost makes one yearn to visit Venice and sample Valpolicella.

In a letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald's biographer Arthur Mizener, Hemingway wrote, "Scott took LITERATURE so seriously. He never grasped that it was simply writing to the best of your ability and finishing what you start." Hemingway truly wrote well. It's a pity he ended his life before he could create more.

**A Cringey Death in Venice**

Review of the Scribner’s Kindle eBook movie tie-in edition (February 1, 2024) of the Scribner’s hardcover original (1950).


“Jackson,” he said. “Do you know what General Thomas J. Jackson said on one occasion? On the occasion of his unfortunate death. … Then he said, ‘No, no let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.’”


I've read the cringey roman à clef of Across the River and Into the Trees several times without a review. When it came up as a Kindle Deal of the Day in May 2024 as part of the lead up to the expected 2024 release of the movie adaptation, I decided to give it one more go. And I actually had a break-through this time.


It is still cringe of course. The story has post-WWII U.S. Army Colonel Richard Cantwell visiting Venice, Italy. Diagnosed with a fatal heart condition, he wants to enjoy the city, his favoured Gritti Hotel, and the company of his young Italian countess Renata. The cringe shows in various ways. At the Gritti, the Colonel speaks with hotel workers as if they were part of a secret society. With Renata, the dialogue is a sort of mirrored baby talk as she is not a native English speaker. The fact that Cantwell is 50 and Renata is 18 (almost 19 as she says) adds to the cringe.


However, I could understand what Hemingway was possibly doing. It might be a form of "mirroring". Just like when you speak with a non-native speaker and adopt their way of speaking. In the book, much of Cantwell's manner of speaking is a "mirroring" of the Italians he encounters. Even among the cringe, there are still glimpses of the old Hemingway magic, like this quote:

“When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen.”

I won't repeat what I wrote about the roman à clef background when I reviewed Autumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and His Final Muse (2019). Seeing the trailer for the movie adaptation, there is hope that much of the cringe elements have been eliminated.


Trivia and Links


The film adaptation directed by Paula Ortiz is expected in August 2024, starring Liev Schreiber as Col. Richard Cantwell and Matilda De Angelis as Renata. There's no English language trailer yet, but you can turn on subtitles in all languages at the Spanish language trailer here. If you have free reads or are a subscriber to The New Yorker, you can read E.B. White's vicious parody Across the Street and Into the Grill from October 6, 1950.

Not really for me. I truly struggle with Hemingway's style. His writing seems to be so concise and spare that at times it feels almost too minimalist for my taste. I find it difficult to fully engage with the story when the language is so stripped down.

Moreover, the characters in his works often leave me feeling frustrated. They don't seem to have the depth and complexity that I expect from well-developed characters. Their actions and motives sometimes appear rather one-dimensional and not especially believable. It's as if they are mere puppets following a pre-determined script without any real autonomy or inner turmoil.

Perhaps I'm just not the right audience for Hemingway's writing. Maybe those who appreciate a more straightforward and unadorned style would find his works more to their liking. But for me, his writing and characters simply don't click, and I find it hard to get fully immersed in his fictional worlds.

Not as wise and knowing as For Whom the Bell Tolls nor as affecting as the romance in A Farewell to Arms, this book still manages to hit all the high notes of Hemingway's minimalist style. It also features the internal dialogs that the above mentioned works do not have.

Across the River and into the Trees presents the Hemingway hero in the unusual situation of having made it through life's scrapes alive. Richard Cantwell, a WWII veteran ex-patriot living in Venice, is having an affair with a 19-year-old Italian contessa while still consorting with other war veterans as he relives his glory days. Now "half a hundred" years old with a serious heart condition, he wants to enjoy a life of ease, yet it's not easy for him.

The occasion of the novel is the last three days of his life. He has one last fling with the teenage Renata and makes the rounds of his compatriots as he gets ready for one last duck hunt. There's not a lot of action, but Hemingway's gift for truly dazzling dialog and getting to the heart of a character in a few words is on full display. He captures the sights and smells of the setting beautifully.

It can be argued that his women are all the same, but women are not the focus of this Hemingway tale. Rather, it's Cantwell's desperate attempt to be satisfied with his life and finally "cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees" - and, in the end, Hemingway's - that is. I was swept away by this minor, but nonetheless important work by Hemingway.

I know few people who approve of the crude writing of this author, immersed in direct dialogues and with little suggestiveness.

Therefore, trying to flee from the well-known war violence that is so much his, I sought refuge in a Venetian love. Colonel Cantwell presents a duality (in?)capable of being recognized in Hemingway: human virility and tenderness towards Renata.

I believe, more than ever, that these people are not entirely wrong, for it still does not convince me, but one has to know how to appreciate its bitterness.

However, in a book where "to live one day as a lion is better than a hundred years as a sheep", the author's mirror stands out: a fragile soul, where the scars of those who served in the American army have not yet healed.

Perhaps Hemingway's writing style is an acquired taste. Some may be put off by its roughness, while others find a certain charm in its directness.

The character of Colonel Cantwell, with his complex mix of strength and tenderness, is a fascinating study.

And the idea that "living one day as a lion" is more valuable than a long life of mediocrity is a powerful one.

Despite my initial reservations, I find myself drawn to the deeper themes and emotions that Hemingway explores in this work.

Maybe with further study and reflection, I will come to a better understanding and appreciation of his unique literary vision.

Jackson,' he said.

'Do you know what General Thomas J. Jackson said on one occasion? On the occasion of his unfortunate death. I memorized it once. I can't respond for its accuracy of course. But this is how it was reported: \\"Order A. P. Hill to prepare for action.\\" Then some more delirious stuff. Then he said, \\"No, no, let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.\\"

This statement by General Jackson is quite profound and moving. It shows his leadership even in his final moments, as he is still giving orders and thinking about the actions of his troops. The mention of crossing over the river and resting under the shade of the trees gives a sense of peace and tranquility, perhaps a vision of the afterlife or a place of rest.

It also makes one wonder about the circumstances surrounding his death and what led up to this moment. Was he in great pain? Was he surrounded by his comrades? These are questions that may never be fully answered, but his words will always remain as a testament to his character and his legacy as a great general.

I did not expect that I would like this book and prepare myself for a boring and long reading experience.

Well, I was surprised.

What I liked about this book was the writing style. So far, I have only read "The Old Man and the Sea" and "Paris – A Moveable Feast" by Hemingway, and they left me relatively indifferent in terms of the writing style (and otherwise). This was not the case here. Although I realize that Hemingway sometimes repeats himself a lot (My only true, last, greatest love or whatever exactly he always writes about Renata), I also see the charm of the whole in it. However, what I found particularly impressive was that through this concise writing style, through these masterfully written dialogues, I was able to empathize very well with the characters, really be with them. With books that are older than 30 years, this actually doesn't happen to me in this way.

It took me along how Renata and the Colonel always begged for confirmation of the love of the other person, how in love and at the same time unhappy they were about the Colonel's death and how well one could see that.

Also, how both had to come to terms with the fact that the Colonel would soon die and how that was reported, I found very exciting. On the one hand, everything was so matter-of-fact, on the other hand, I could really feel the emotionality of the two. It really took me along.

In general, I liked Hemingway's humor and how he built in such small affronts in the writing flow. (And how he actually hid a sex scene with an attack metaphor.)

What I didn't like were the conversations about the war. However, this is probably also only because I didn't understand 2/3 of the content about the war. I probably also missed a lot of important things because this traumatization from the war and the soldier's life of the Colonel are a central part of the Colonel's identity and history.

I also found it rather repulsive that Hemingway called Renata daughter the whole time. I don't know if this had some hidden meaning that I didn't understand, but I found it really rather strange. I am actually relatively open to relationships with large age differences, but then I really find such a designation inappropriate. Especially because the concept of "daddy issues" as a cause of attraction can definitely be applied to Renata. Her father was murdered by the Germans, so she is traumatized and the Colonel, who fought on the other side, appears as a rescuer (and also as a substitute father).

Then he also sometimes portrayed her as "different from the other girls/women", which annoyed me. Especially that the Colonel put down his ex-wife, I didn't find exactly appropriate. Hemingway actually based the story on his own encounter with a much younger Italian woman in Venice while he was married to a journalist (and I think also a war correspondent). The novel was then also created during this marriage.

By the way, the novel also reminded me of "Death in Venice" by Thomas Mann. I liked this parallel. Both deal with death, a love for a significantly younger person and of course with Venice. Although I am not necessarily inclined towards Venice, I really liked the love of the protagonists in both stories. I can very well understand this connection and really liked the atmosphere and the way Venice is described (especially in this novel here).

- ¿Qué les ocurre a las personas que se quieren?

Well, it's a rather complex question. When two people are in love, they share a special bond. They experience a range of emotions together, from joy and happiness to sadness and pain.

- Supongo que tienen lo que sea que tengan, y son más afortunadas que los demás. Indeed, those who are in love often feel that they have something precious, something that others may not have. They consider themselves luckier than others because they have found someone to share their lives with.

Luego uno de ellos se queda vacía para siempre. However, sometimes things don't work out as planned. One of them may end up feeling empty and alone, even after the relationship has ended. This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as growing apart, losing interest, or facing external challenges.

In conclusion, love is a beautiful yet unpredictable thing. It can bring great joy and fulfillment, but it can also cause pain and heartbreak. We should cherish the relationships we have and do our best to make them last.

Remember for me a three-star book is definitely worth reading.

I know Hemingway's writing style may not appeal to everyone, but I have a great admiration for it. When I read his books, it's not just about the plot. Instead, I'm drawn to his remarkable ability to express complex ideas simply and to capture the inherent differences between the sexes.

In this novel, there are two principal characters - Colonel Richard Cantwell and his lover Renata. He is a fifty-one-year-old masculine man, often brusque and downright rude, which might lead some to view him as a bastard. However, as I delved deeper into the story, I found myself liking him. Hemingway has this talent for going beneath the surface and revealing more about the characters. I also like Renata. She represents the feminine side, being smart, curious, and willing to break the norms.

The strength of this book doesn't lie in its plot, which is practically non-existent. Instead, it's a character study, an exploration of death and how we each deal with it, as well as the choices we make. It also touches on the folly of war, hunting, food, fishing, and the world around us if we take the time to look. Hemingway has a way of expressing the simplest things that are right before our eyes, yet we often overlook them.

Moreover, there is a touch of humor in the story.

You either like Hemingway or you don't. I'll admit that I don't like all of his books. In fact, some I've rated only one star because I found them truly terrible. But in this particular work, I've tried to explain what I see in Hemingway's writing.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Boyd Gaines, and I was amused by how the word "colonel" sounds like "co-lo-nel" in Italian.

I don't think the magic of Venice comes through strongly in this book. What does come through, however, is the feel of a duck-blind, infantry combat, love, and lost youth. You have to pay close attention as there are many flashbacks. If you don't, you might find yourself confused, asking, "Which war is being referred to? WW1 or WW2, the Spanish Civil War or...?"

This was the last novel completed before Hemingway's death, and it offers a unique glimpse into his mind and his final thoughts on life, love, and war.