Quote:
Originally Posted by Kensal Rise
Steve:
Whoever Hemingway "was," he was certainly a man of importance, as this thread testifies. And a damn good writer. Ruark, on the other hand, fancied himself a bush league Hemingway -- but never quite lived up to Papa's towering image.
Nonetheless, warm gin is better than no gin. Cup composition aside.
Best, Kensal
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Yes indeed Hem lived a larger than life, life. So, but to a lessor extent, did Ruark. I agree that Ruark felt as if he lived and worked in Hem's shadow and one seldom considers him without comparing him to EH. Last year and for the third time I re-read most of what both men wrote. I found Hem somewhat dated and Ruark not so much. Some, IMHO of Hem's work is unreadable,
Death In the Afternoon being one that I have never been able to dig through. Nor have I been able to stick with Ruark's
The Honey Badger.
Ruark's best is
Something of Value and I love the work. Hem's early books I read for their style, the stories IMHO hackneyed. My fave Hem book is one of his least important,
A Moveable Feast which has been published in several versions....the latest is the best.
I think that both men were great writers and maybe great men. Hem is unique and people will be reading about him for a lot time to come. Stephen Crane was a better writer than either tho. So was Fitzgerald when in his prime.
Hybrid Mode