Well, I was on a quest to find a book that delved into the rich and vibrant history of Cuba. However, what I ended up with was a book that centered around Hemingway.

At first, I couldn't help but wonder if it was yet another hit piece aimed at the old man, perhaps trying to tear down his reputation. Or maybe it was just a fluff piece, glorifying the warrior poet without any real substance.

As I delved deeper into the book, I discovered that it was a curious blend of both. There were elements that criticized Hemingway's flaws and controversial aspects of his life, while also celebrating his undeniable talent and larger-than-life persona.

To add to the intrigue, there was a sort of mystery woven throughout the narrative, keeping me engaged and eager to turn the page. Overall, it was a nice light read that was perfect for a summer of quiet reflection, allowing me to explore the complex world of Hemingway and Cuba in a new and interesting way.

I'm afraid to say that my acquaintance with Conde is not improving as it expands.

His attitude towards women really gets to me. Perhaps this is indeed how men, especially those of a certain age, see them, but it's not human at all. They are merely regarded as sex figures.

Conde's whining about his life is also difficult for me to bear. 'All' he has in life is his friendships, the love of a good woman, his books, his dogs, and his love of alcohol/food? I don't know. It sounds like all a human needs!!

While I did enjoy experiencing Hemingway's Cuban time through Cuban eyes and enjoyed the flashbacks, the mystery itself isn't much. Nor do I think much of his hunches.

Overall, my perception of Conde and the story as a whole is a bit mixed. There are aspects that I like, such as the Cuban perspective and the flashbacks, but there are also elements that I find less appealing, like Conde's attitude towards women and his rather self-pitying whining.

I'm not sure if my opinion will change as I continue to read, but for now, I'm left with a somewhat lukewarm feeling about the entire thing.

More of an investigation of a man, than of a murder, this book offers an insightful read for both Hemingway fans and those curious about him.
I hadn't delved into a mystery since my almost fanatical days of reading Agatha Christie (back in pre-adolescence). But this one was on sale and it seemed to involve rainstorms and Cuba, which sounded appealing to me.
So, I took a chance and was actually quite astonished at how much I relished this book.
The protagonist, private detective Conde, dissects the dichotomy of Hemingway the man versus Hemingway the writer. He grapples with his own simultaneous and competing feelings of admiration and disdain for the writer/man, feelings that cannot coexist harmoniously.
To be certain, this is a sentiment with which I can identify. As the archetypal antithesis to all that I identify with and hold dear - Hemingway being sexist, arguably antisemitic, and definitely no friend to animals, he was a man from whom I should flee screaming. And yet, to my great dismay, there is still something undeniably appreciable, perhaps even admirable, about his writing.

For some strange reason, Ernest Hemingway, both as a personality and as a writer, exerts a curious charm on me. I don't know if I should feel sympathy or antipathy towards him. On the one hand, his eventful life with travels, women, and his wonderful writings, and on the other hand, his "wild", alienating behavior towards his relatives and his maniacal passion to kill anything for sport and to pose defiantly with his trophies.

The Cuban Leonardo Padura presents both of these aspects of Hem in this short novel, telling a part of the writer's life in Cuba without deifying him at all. However, he also presents some things about him that perhaps many people are unaware of. And to achieve this, he "resurrects" an old hero of his - a policeman who, now retired and a famous writer, takes on the role of the protagonist in this book too: Mario Conde.

Mario Conde vividly remembers the American writer getting off his boat, getting into his car, and himself saying goodbye to him, shouting "Goodbye, Hemingway!". Forty years later, he is about to meet Hem again when a hurricane that uproots an old tree in the writer's old villa reveals a body of unknown identity.

As Conde tries to untangle the mystery, Hemingway's life passes before our eyes as if it is happening now. The writer, his people, his scruffy dog, his alcoholism, his tortured mind. And along with it, a bottle of wine, an FBI mark, and a weapon. And, the kilo of Ava Gardner ;-).

Conde searches, forgets, rediscovers, and methodically tells the story of searching for the murderer so many decades later. He climbs sources, asks people, and reveals to us the writer's relationship with the American authorities and the role of the FBI director, Hoover, in his death (by suicide). He enters the psyche of "Ernest's carriage" and discovers other aspects of his character. Finally, with good friends and a bottle of rum in the waters of the Caribbean, he will say goodbye to him, saying "Goodbye, Hemingway!", this time for good.

This was the first story of Padura's with Conde as the hero that I read, and I definitely want to read the previous ones. The Conde tetralogy ("An Impeccable Past", "Carnival Winds", "Masks", "Autumn Landscape") is what made him known in Europe.

The writing here is rather simple, which I really liked. I think it is a basic advantage of a writer to write in a way that is understandable to everyone. With "Goodbye, Hemingway", I can't say that I was completely shocked, but I spent a pleasant afternoon with it. The descriptions of Cuba and the Cubans by Padura are enchanting, enough to make you read the 190-page book breathlessly; it is, moreover, enjoyable to "travel" to Havana in the summer with a fan, with the light coming in through the grilles of the closed balcony and the fan blowing on you. Does anyone disagree?

After the August excesses, I was not impressed that I fell into a black, reading hole and read almost forcefully the fifth story of the former policeman Mario Conte, whom of course I love.

The Padoura once again proves to be a writer with a wild imagination and here he puts his hero in a story that took place in 1958 in the famous Hemingway's farm in Havana which now functions as a museum.

The Cuban writer finds the opportunity to talk about a man he admires and hates at the same time. It is also known that Ernest was not the most likeable on the scene. The Anti-hero is above all an attempt at a psychological portrait of the famous American and it seems that Padoura had fun as he tried to reconstruct the daily life of Hemingway during the last healthy period of his life.

Under normal circumstances, this is a book that is read in one sitting and although it lacks the sweetness and existential searches of Conte's previous four texts, it does not reduce the reader's interest in what will follow in the next three stories that have already been published. I can't wait but I won't rush to read them.

A small novel pretending to be a detective story about "nothing" - a little about love/dislike for Hemingway, a little about the author's own Cuban life, about gunpowder in powder magazines, what else the author has, and incidentally about a corpse in the garden, both literally and figuratively. Fortunately, there are only a few pages.

This unique piece of writing seems to blend various elements in a rather haphazard yet intriguing way. The mention of Hemingway adds a touch of literary allusion, perhaps hinting at some kind of comparison or contrast with the author's own experiences or perspectives. The description of the Cuban life gives a sense of place and context, while the reference to gunpowder in powder magazines might suggest a potential for danger or excitement lurking beneath the surface. And then there's the mysterious corpse in the garden, which could be interpreted both literally as a physical object or figuratively as a symbol of something deeper and more complex.

Overall, this short novel manages to pack a lot of ideas and images into just a few pages, leaving the reader with a sense of curiosity and a desire to explore further.

Padura writes deliciously. It is read smoothly and has a fun vocabulary. I liked that Hemingway was disliked by the Count because I also don't like him (if the book had been an act of adoration of Hemingway, it would have been hard for me to swallow).

Now, it didn't seem spectacular to me. A nice story and little more. I would have liked to have had more of Havana and less of Finca Vigía. Maybe I'll read the other one in my power.

The writing style of Padura is indeed quite charming. The way he crafts his sentences makes the reading experience enjoyable and engaging. The use of a diverse and interesting vocabulary adds an extra layer of flavor to the story. However, while the book has its merits, it didn't quite reach the level of being truly spectacular for me. I felt that the balance between the描绘 of Havana and Finca Vigía could have been better. I would have preferred to have a more in-depth exploration of the vibrant city of Havana. Nevertheless, I still have an interest in reading the other works by Padura that are within my reach. Maybe they will offer a different and more fulfilling reading experience.

A skeleton is unearthed, buried deep within the grounds of the Hemingway’s former home, Finca Vigía, which lies just outside Havana. This discovery takes place a full four decades after the author’s untimely death.

Such is the captivating premise that Leonardo Padura builds his sumptuous thriller upon. From the very beginning, the suspense is masterfully maintained, gripping the reader’s attention and not letting go until the very end.

The narrative of the murder investigation unfolds in an alternating fashion with the story being told from Hemingway's own point of view. These two threads gradually converge, shedding light on the events that are believed to have occurred way back in 1958.

Padura weaves a tale that is not only filled with mystery and intrigue but also offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. The combination of the real and the fictional creates a unique and engaging reading experience that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout.

This text seems to be a review or comment about a story or something related. It says that as a police story, it doesn't tell a lot, but generally it is a very pleasant (summer) read. And if you accompany it with a Havana-Cola, it becomes even more pleasant.

However, it could be expanded to provide more details. For example, it could mention what exactly makes the story pleasant, maybe some interesting plot twists or well-developed characters. It could also describe the taste and refreshing nature of the Havana-Cola and how it enhances the reading experience.

Overall, with a bit more expansion, this could be a more engaging and detailed piece of writing that gives the reader a better understanding of both the story and the enjoyable combination with the drink.

Pues rico, melancólico, sin mucho que pase y a la vez con mucho que se mueve en la mente y las emociones de los personajes. Esta es una interpretación a lo que sucedió, pensó, sintió y vivió Hemingway mientras estuvo en Cuba. Es una novela, como claramente lo dice Padura. Pero para mí, lo siento como una deuda. Igual me lo invento, pero conforme leía, sentía que es de esos privilegios que se puede dar un escritor. Escribir sobre lo que quiera él, sobre lo que le guste a él, sobre lo que él quiera indagar. Él sabe que lo vamos a leer, nomatherwhat. Pero que a mí me deje mucho, no tanto.

Más que irlo descubriendo más a él como escritor, a Leo. Y quizá a Hemingway también.

:)

Me gustó transitar el libro.

It was a rich and melancholic experience. The story seemed to unfold slowly, yet there was so much going on in the minds and emotions of the characters. It was an interpretation of what Hemingway had experienced, thought, felt, and lived while in Cuba. As Padura clearly states, it is a novel. But for me, it felt like a debt. Maybe I'm imagining it, but as I read, I felt that it was one of those privileges that a writer can have. To write about whatever he wants, about what he likes, about what he wants to explore. He knows that we will read it, no matter what. But it left a lot for me, not too much.

More than getting to know him better as a writer, Leo. And perhaps Hemingway too.

:)

I enjoyed going through the book.

I have read a number of novels by Hemingway and I didn't like his writing style very much.

However, reading Hemingway's biography was very interesting. And in this novel, there is a police plot that switches between the past and the present.

Puadora is very creative in it.

Hemingway's works are often considered masterpieces, but his writing style may not be to everyone's taste.

Some people find it too simple and direct, while others appreciate its clarity and power.

In this novel, the police plot adds an element of mystery and excitement, making it a page-turner.

Puadora's creativity shines through in her handling of the plot and characters, making this a must-read for fans of mystery and crime fiction.

Overall, while Hemingway's writing style may not be for everyone, this novel is definitely worth a read for its engaging plot and creative execution.

I really liked this.

The setting in Cuba was simply wonderful. It added a unique charm and authenticity to the story. The rich history of Cuba came alive through the vivid descriptions, transporting the reader to that vibrant and exotic land.

The clever plotting kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The twists and turns were unexpected and engaging, making it impossible to put the book down.

The protagonist was a fascinating character, full of depth and complexity. I found myself rooting for him throughout his journey.

And then there was the character of Hemingway. His presence added an extra layer of interest and authenticity. Hemingway's writing style and his own experiences in Cuba were clearly an inspiration for this story.

Overall, this was a well-written and thoroughly enjoyable piece. The author did a great job of bringing all the elements together to create a memorable and engaging read.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good story set in an interesting location.