I actually found this memoir to be truly fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. It managed to reveal a more human side of Hemingway, peeling back the layers of his uber-masculine exterior. What added an extra layer of significance for me was the fact that I had just completed reading some of Hemingway's stories that were set around the same time period as this memoir.

It's important to keep in mind that this is a memoir about Hotchner's friend, not a comprehensive biography of Hemingway. It offers a unique perspective into Hemingway's life through the eyes of someone who knew him on a personal level.

The memoir provides insights into Hemingway's personality, his habits, and his relationships. It gives readers a chance to see a different side of the literary giant, one that is more relatable and less intimidating.

Overall, I would highly recommend this memoir to anyone who is interested in Hemingway or in learning more about the man behind the myth. It's a captivating read that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.

This is a very good book that I highly recommend.

It vividly describes the story of the last decades of Ernest Hemingway. It delves into his various passions, including his love for fishing, the excitement of Spanish-style bullfighting, the thrill of hunting, his dedication to writing, and his complex relationships with women.

The book is filled with witty and engaging stories about famous artists, writers, or matadors. These anecdotes not only provide a fascinating glimpse into Hemingway's world but also offer valuable insights into the creative and adventurous spirit that defined him.

Whether you are a fan of Hemingway's work or simply interested in learning more about this iconic figure, this book is a must-read. It will transport you to a bygone era and leave you with a deeper appreciation for the man and his remarkable life.

So, don't miss out on this opportunity to explore the captivating world of Ernest Hemingway through the pages of this excellent book.

Fantastic!

I really enjoyed this book. It provides a great sense of the man.

The friendship that the author has with Hemingway is readily apparent in the writing.

The book delves deep into the character and personality of Hemingway, allowing the reader to truly understand him.

The author's personal connection with Hemingway adds an extra layer of authenticity and depth to the narrative.

Through the author's words, we can feel the warmth and camaraderie of their friendship.

It is as if we are right there with them, experiencing their adventures and conversations.

This book is not only a great read but also a fascinating exploration of the life and times of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Hemingway or in the world of literature.

I purchased this book in a thrift store, and initially, I had little aspiration that I would finish it. I knew little about "Papa" other than the fact that he was a famous author.

The author, A.F. Hotchner, who was also a friend of Hemingway, has truly done justice to his biography. He objectively portrays Mr. Hemingway's life. Hemingway lived and died on his own terms. He was a man with a wide range of interests. The book objectively depicts his life filled with joys and sorrows, his relationships with other writers, his wives, his penchant for drinking, fishing, bullfighting, and even fist fighting. It also details his temper and provides a very moving account of Papa's self-destruction and tragic death. The author's 14-year friendship with the subject is evident throughout the biography.

I was not only impressed with the subject, who was one of the greatest writers of our times, but also with the author for his excellent portrayal. This book offers a fascinating and in-depth look into the life of Ernest Hemingway.

"Papa Hemingway" by A.E. Hotchner is a charming work that should not be regarded as a traditional Ernest Hemingway biography or a strictly historical document. Instead, it offers a warm recollection of a friendship with an extraordinary man, and I truly loved it.

The first part of the book is light-hearted and enjoyable. In 1948, 30-year-old Hotchner was dispatched to Cuba by Cosmopolitan magazine to persuade veteran writer and war correspondent Ernest Hemingway to pen a piece on "the future of literature." Hotchner was initially too intimidated to approach Hemingway directly and left a cowardly note instead. To his astonishment, Hemingway called him the next morning and suggested they meet at a bar called "La Florida" that same evening. As Hotchner relates, the two men hit it off immediately. The nearly 50-year-old Hemingway delighted in regaling the much younger Hotchner with a plethora of colorful personal anecdotes over a deluge of "Papa Doble Frozen Daiquiris," without discussing the business at hand. This continued for several days, with Hemingway even taking Hotchner on a fishing trip on his boat, a sort of rite of passage.
We can sense the joy Hemingway experienced in sharing his adventures and war stories with his new audience, perhaps embellishing and polishing his anecdotes even more than usual. A process of "hemingwayification" seems to be at play here, intensifying past events to clarify their essence and emotional impact on the narrator. Hemingway is quoted as saying, "All good books have one thing in common - they are truer than if they had really happened, and if you've read one of them you will feel all that happened, happened to you and then it belongs to you forever: the happiness and unhappiness, good and evil, ecstasy and sorrow, the food, wine, beds, people and the weather. If you can give that to readers, then you're a writer."
The first part of the book reads like a compilation of the best bar stories one is likely to hear from anyone. I could cite numerous examples, but it's best to leave them in the book. Hotchner also records numerous statements by the writer regarding the background of his various works and anecdotes about some of his famous friends. I believe these should be read in the spirit of the conversations that led to their being said; they may be partially true, could have been true, or have brushed up against the truth at some point in time, or perhaps they are the poetic truth rather than the dull literal truth. In any case, they have the flavor of authenticity without the burden of detail. From my own experience, everything we call "an adventure" consists of about 99% hassle and inconvenience, with only a few moments of gemlike quality, and it is these gems that we assemble into sparkling conversation pieces over a barrel of "Papa Dobles" or in neat paragraphs in a biography.
In the middle part of the book, Hotchner describes his travels as part of the Hemingway entourage. And what travels they were! Hemingway seems to have been a truly excellent companion to those he respected. It is wonderful to see how the writer overflows with local knowledge and countless anecdotes of the places and people they visit. I think it is here that Hotchner was promoted from being "someone to retell all my old stories to" to "someone with whom I create new memories and anecdotes." A case in point is the prank of dressing Hotchner up as a matador and having him enter the bullring as an official spare who would step in if the leading matadors were incapacitated before the bulls were dispatched. This event is recounted with glee by Hemingway in his later book, "The Dangerous Summer," and by Hotchner in his personal memoir as well.
However, it is not all fun and games. We can see Hemingway's physical and mental health deteriorating over the years. The double plane crash he endured in Africa during a safari in 1953 left permanent physical damage, compounded by his increasing self-medication with alcohol. We witness the great writer diminishing before our eyes. Why didn't a great friend like Hotchner stage an intervention? My guess is that Hemingway and Hotchner always maintained a master/pupil-like relationship, and Hotchner may never have felt it was his place to intervene forcefully - or perhaps he felt that Hemingway would not listen to this type of advice in any case.
In the third part of the book, we can see Hemingway's decline and ultimate end. Near the end of his life, his mind broke. He became increasingly delusional and paranoid - 1960s psychiatry was simply not yet ready to provide effective treatment for this kind of condition. Electroshock therapy and certain medications were used, but failed to reverse his decline. Frankly, reading Hotchner's account, it is not surprising that Hemingway ultimately took his own life.
What are we to make of all this? As I stated at the beginning of my review, I do not view this book as a historical document, a source of finding out what "factually happened," or an "even-handed" account of his life and deeds. This book is none of those. I also refrain from speculating on the extent to which Hotchner was actually part of Hemingway's "inner circle" or whether he was a talented "hanger-on" who managed to insinuate himself for selfish reasons. Speaking of insinuation, it cannot be forgotten that Hotchner often served as a go-between or agent for various publishers/producers and the writer, securing quite a number of lucrative deals for Hemingway. Therefore, ensuring Hotchner's loyalty and sufficient awe of him must have made good commercial sense to the writer. Yet at the same time, to me, there is ample evidence of good chemistry between the two men - not just from Hotchner's writings, but also from Hemingway's. And they did have some genuine adventures together, even if a process of "Hemingwayification" has been applied to them. To me, their connection feels real, even if it had multiple layers, or perhaps *because* it had multiple layers.
So finally, I appreciate this book as a collection of stories about Hemingway, as retold by the writer himself or recounted from first-hand experiences. I don't overly concern myself with the exact ingredients of the dish, but I do savor the flavor. Hemingway at his best was a great companion, and I would wish for someone like that in my circle of acquaintances. Hemingway at his worst could be intemperate and self-destructive. I would have wished him better friends to rely on in those times.

This is a truly terrific book. From the very beginning, it grabs your attention and doesn't let go. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to know what will happen next.

However, the ending is absolutely devastating. It hits you like a ton of bricks and leaves you with a feeling of profound sadness and loss. Hemingway has a way of writing that makes you feel as if you are right there in the story, experiencing everything along with the characters.

It seems that we can never truly get over Hemingway. His works have a timeless quality that continues to resonate with readers long after they have finished reading. Whether it's his simple yet powerful prose, his complex characters, or his exploration of the human condition, there is something about Hemingway's writing that keeps drawing us back.

It is a semi-interview article about E. E. Hotchner, who is a writer and also a friend of "Papa Hemingway".

The article mainly reveals Papa's adventures, whether it is drinking, sex, hunting, watching boxing, watching bullfights, horse racing, and traveling to various scenic spots, as well as Papa's career development and writing philosophy.

Throughout the article, we can see that Papa is a person with many friends, drinks a lot, and is serious about both life and writing. Until the end of his life, when he had to struggle with the inability to write as he intended, he suffered from depression, was electrocuted several times, and was in and out of the psychiatric clinic twice. Until one early morning, his wife heard a gunshot, and it was the end of the life of this great writer.

"Man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."

This is the reason why he wants to overcome his writing career and will never give up if he can no longer write.

"Papa Hemingway" offers A.E. Hotchner's engaging look into the life of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway. Hotchner, who was Hemingway's true friend for over a decade, recalls their interactions, from study room conversations to inquiries about the number of handkerchiefs needed to enhance a matador's bulge.

The book's value is significantly higher compared to other biographies of the Latino lover author. The friendship between Hotchner and Hemingway, strengthened over a decade of relations, with their presence in each other's lives during difficult times and the mutual trust they have in each other regarding their well-being. When reading "Papa Hemingway", Hotchner's admiration for Hemingway is palpable, which some might argue could create unreliability in his narration of Hemingway's life. However, rather than seeing "Papa Hemingway" as a factual documentation, one should appreciate it for what it is, the remembrance of a dear friend, mentor, and papa.

Hotchner describes Hemingway's adventurous life: his disregard for his own safety, playing with dangerous killer felines like tigers, frequent plane crashes (not just one but two), occasional brawls, whether out of disrespect or for sport; skiing, swimming, going on safaris, and festival activities. Hemingway's life, as portrayed by Hotchner, is truly like something out of a movie.

The life of Ernest Hemingway, as recounted by Hotchner in "Papa Hemingway", is sure to entertain and inspire audiences worldwide, offering a refreshing contrast to the formulaic, day-to-day life of our current century's monotonous and clockwork existence.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book as an honest and intimate portrayal of Hemingway during the latter part of his life.

Spanning from 1948 until his death in 1961, A.E. ‘Hotch’ Hotchner accompanied Papa on numerous of his adventures.

From Spain to Cuba to Ketchum, Hotch brought a certain level of normality to the often chaotic world of Hemingway’s entourage.

The final 30 pages were difficult to read as Papa’s mental health steadily deteriorated, leading up to that fateful July morning at his home in Ketchum.

This book offers a unique perspective on Hemingway, allowing readers to see the man behind the legend and understand the challenges he faced in his later years.

It is a must-read for any Hemingway enthusiast or anyone interested in the life and works of this iconic American writer.

Others have been highly critical of Hotchner for allegedly not revealing the whole truth. They claim that he failed to recount Hemingway's bullying, braggadocio, and boorish behavior. However, Hemingway was Hotchner's friend, and according to The Code, one simply doesn't stab a friend in the back, not even a deceased one. (Although it should be noted that Hemingway himself was often guilty of doing just that, both to his living and dead friends.)

So, what we have here is Ernest Hemingway presented at his very best. It's a portrayal of life at its finest, filled with adventure, charming women, loyal friends, delicious food and drink, beautiful surroundings, and honest enjoyment. It's the kind of life that we all secretly wish we could lead. At least until, for E.H., the pleasure is gradually sucked out of it, and he ultimately takes his own life.

But so what if this account isn't entirely historically faithful? What it does give us are the high spirits and the glamorous lifestyle of living large. It serves as a kind of bible on how to live, despite the tragic ending that in no way detracts from the beauty and allure of what came before it. (Note: I first read this book decades ago, and now, upon rereading it, I find myself enjoying it perhaps even more.)

I have always been interested in the person Hemingway, but it was only now that I came to read his biography as well.

A.E. Hotchner tells us about his friendship with Hemingway over more than 400 pages, and thus we accompany the two over the years from 1948 to 1961.

In the spring of 1948, Hotchner was sent to Cuba by "Cosmopolitan" to persuade Hemingway to write an article. After a somewhat pushy and distrustful inspection by the author (including an alcohol tolerance test), they became friends and remained so until Hemingway's tragic suicide. What makes "Hotchs" recordings so valuable: Hemingway gave him insights into his working methods. Countless stories about the genesis of his works, about his childhood and his Parisian years are told here firsthand.

Due to the intimate connection between the two, we also come very close to Hemingway, quite differently than is usually the case with biographies, where the authors often only tell from the outside and the described person is only known fleetingly, if at all. Here, however, we are dealing with a deep friendship that allows us to come very close to Hemingway personally.

Since my edition is already very old and the book is no longer being reprinted in German, I have now also acquired the English original edition, which I will definitely read this year.

The book seems to be more of an exercise in self-promotion and gives off an air of fiction. Right from the start, I was put off by the author's 1999 new preface (in the edition I read). In my opinion, it takes a rather low blow at Mary Hemingway, airing the author's old man's petty gripes with Hemingway's widow. Conveniently enough, she was already dead and couldn't refute his remarks.

As I read further, I learned that due to being denied access to the correspondence with Hemingway, the author re-created what he remembered of it (for legal, i.e. copyright reasons) in the form of conversations with Hemingway. But then, the question arises: how much of it was actually true? Who can really say?

I found it quite hard to believe that a 48-year-old world-famous author would become such good buddies (for the last 14 years of his life) with a twenty-something attorney/editor, going on travels, fishing, and drinking together. Throughout the book, there is no mention of what the author was making from his adaptations for television of Hemingway's works. Apparently, their "friendship" was pure and unsullied by commerce, and the author only lived to serve the master. However, the most disappointing part was that the decline of Hemingway and his suicide were not sufficiently examined. Worse still, it came across as cold and detached. I would have thought that someone with a front-row seat would have been able to comment more thoroughly on this. Did Hemingway express remorse or regret for the life he had lived? Was there a fear of death or self-pity? What's left in this reader's mind is the thought that perhaps Hemingway felt he couldn't party like he used to, so what was the point of living? Could anyone really be that shallow? Shouldn't the author have been more interested in understanding Hemingway's motivation? More interested in trying to help "Papa"? Was the author perhaps feeling guilty for not having done more to help? Also, two of Hemingway's wives were still alive at the time of his death, yet the author reports almost nothing about them, only a stray remark or two from Hemingway. So, how close could he really have been to Hemingway? Or did Hemingway really let loose about Martha and Hadley, and the author had to hold back for fear of litigation, making this so-called "inside" look at Hemingway rather worthless?