Hemingway's guns

[Grantham Forester]

Originally Posted by Steve McCarty

Faulkner had a highly developed love/hate relationship with Southerners which is the thrust of his novels. I've read only one, but it has been fifty years and I can't recall which one I read. I recall it not being an easy read.

--IMO, both Faulkner and Hemingway were heavy drinkers, but between the two, Hemingway had a solid work ethic and did not drink while working. His usual working routine both at Key West and later in Cuba at the Finca was to awake at 6 AM, swim, have two glasses of grapefruit juice, maybe a poached egg and toast, and to be at work by 6:45, work solidly until 12:30, and if the work went well, lunch was a glass of red wine or a small scotch with lime juice on the rocks, and his favorite sandwich- toasted wheat bread spread with peanut butter and with a big slice of raw onion on top of the spread. Then-- fishing, shooting live pigeons, or drinking at Sloppy Joe's in Key West, or at the Floridita in Havana. The later spot is where the Margarita was rumored to have been first created, suggested to the barman by Hemingway, who was divorced from Pauline and with (but not yet married to) Martha Gellhorn.

[Mills]

Maybe that is why you can't understand Faulkner. At the end of one of my favorite passages, when they are talking about sitting around the hunting lodge, he says "it seemed not only natural, but actually fitting, that this should have begun with whiskey." . . . That would be AFTER the hunt. This whole discussion has me wanting to read Hemingway's hunting stories. I didn't know he wrote hunting stories, until now

[George Lander]

Another of Hemingway's hangouts was THE COMPLEAT ANGLER on the island of Bimini. It is a to this day a typical 1930' island watering hole with many pictures of Ernest decorating the walls along with some of his drinking/fishing buddies and some gigantic blue marlin.

Best Regards, George

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Mills Morrison

Maybe that is why you can't understand Faulkner. At the end of one of my favorite passages, when they are talking about sitting around the hunting lodge, he says "it seemed not only natural, but actually fitting, that this should have begun with whiskey." . . . That would be AFTER the hunt. This whole discussion has me wanting to read Hemingway's hunting stories. I didn't know he wrote hunting stories, until now

Coupla months ago I re-read the Green Hills of Africa, written about HEM's first safari in '33/34, paid for by his wife's uncle. They scared up the old boy who PH'd TR and Kermit's safari in (I think) 1905/6.

I took my time with the work and enjoyed it. At the same time I read The Horn of the Hunter by Ruark. Of course Bobby R. doesn't have the following that HEM has, but darn it all, I enjoyed that book too.

Aren't the Nick Adams tales about hunting/fishing? I've always enjoyed the story about the Indian who committed suicide as his wife was giving birth.

When Hem wrote Green Hills he was in his prime and it shows in the work.

Ruark died at age 49 and didn't require any embalming fluid to become pickled. He also owned some nice guns. He lived in Spain. (taxes you know). Ruark lived under Hem's shadow and he knew and didn't like it. Hem was born in '99 and Ruark in '18, so they were about a generation apart in age, but similar in many ways. Ruark liked safari martinis which was straight gin poured from a bottle left in the sun on the back seat of the Landrover and served up in a plastic cup. Yummm. I've been on safari (camera) and did some drinking after hours with a few of the young PH's. Hint, if someone offers you a pink gin, consider turning it down.

[Mills]

African Game Trails by TR is good. I try not to read too much about hunting in Africa as it is going to be a long time before I can go, if ever. Hunting Trips of a Ranchman by TR is good too and closer to home.

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Grantham Forester

-- Then-- fishing, shooting live pigeons, or drinking at Sloppy Joe's in Key West, or at the Floridita in Havana.

In the summer of '71 I flew a TA4J Skyhawk on my last dual cross country before my wings and landed at NAS Key West. My instructor had been there many times and he ushered me to Sloppy Joe's which was still pretty sloppy and was just as Hem left it. Today it is not.

The bartender showed us Ernie's favorite bar stool, which was left of the pass through. He also described the Hemingway Daiquiri. It carried three double shots of Bacardi rum. Hem would show up around noon and stay until closing and drink over a dozen of them. At the time I was there the place had a green (or was it red?) lanoleum bar, rickety bar stools, concrete floors and floor to ceiling shutters usually left open to the elements, often wind driven rain.

I've never been back, but I understand the place has had a makeover. How sad, because when I was there it was a very pleasant place to get bombed.

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Mills Morrison

African Game Trails by TR is good. I try not to read too much about hunting in Africa as it is going to be a long time before I can go, if ever. Hunting Trips of a Ranchman by TR is good too and closer to home.

Went to Medora in 2010. What a great place! Drove through the state park there and visited the old Frenchman's castle...a large gray wooden building on a hill over looking the little town of Medora. Great TR museum that included at least one of his shotguns....come to think of it, one was a double! Can't recall if it was a Parker or not. They had about three of his 76 Winchesters on display and a set of buckskins. If one is a TR fan Medora is a must see.

The president only owned finely engraved guns, knives, pistols etc...many on display. I have some pics, but not ready to attach.

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by George Lander

Another of Hemingway's hangouts was THE COMPLEAT ANGLER on the island of Bimini. It is a to this day a typical 1930' island watering hole with many pictures of Ernest decorating the walls along with some of his drinking/fishing buddies and some gigantic blue marlin.

Best Regards, George

Hem wrote about that place. He said he's shoot at hand thrown skeet tossed over the sea wall and into the wind. Trickly shots, those. Sounds like fun to me.

Going trap shooting tomorrow. Taking my Parker SBT. Should be a good time.

[Grantham Forester]

Originally Posted by Steve McCarty

Coupla months ago I re-read the Green Hills of Africa, written about HEM's first safari in '33/34, paid for by his wife's uncle. They scared up the old boy who PH'd TR and Kermit's safari in (I think) 1905/6.

I took my time with the work and enjoyed it. At the same time I read The Horn of the Hunter by Ruark. Of course Bobby R. doesn't have the following that HEM has, but darn it all, I enjoyed that book too.

Aren't the Nick Adams tales about hunting/fishing? I've always enjoyed the story about the Indian who committed suicide as his wife was giving birth.

When Hem wrote Green Hills he was in his prime and it shows in the work.

Ruark died at age 49 and didn't require any embalming fluid to become pickled. He also owned some nice guns. He lived in Spain. (taxes you know). Ruark lived under Hem's shadow and he knew and didn't like it. Hem was born in '99 and Ruark in '18, so they were about a generation apart in age, but similar in many ways. Ruark liked safari martinis which was straight gin poured from a bottle left in the sun on the back seat of the Landrover and served up in a plastic cup. Yummm. I've been on safari (camera) and did some drinking after hours with a few of the young PH's. Hint, if someone offers you a pink gin, consider turning it down.

Just a few notes--The PH you mentioned was indeed Phillip Percival-- he was most likely the model for Robert Wilson in Hemingway's best short story ever-IMO anyway-- "The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber"--Wilson carried a George Gibbs BA in .505 Gibbs caliber, Phillip Percival most likely had his .470 H&H double express rifle when he guided Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt, it was later damaged when run over by a lorry, and he went to a .416 Rigby with express sights and used that for the rest of his hunting/guiding career. I think Ruark was a first rate writer, he was born in 1915 and died in Spain in 1965 at age 50. He had Hemingway both used booze and women to excess, but Hemingway was not a known smoker, Ruark was a two-pack a day Lucky Strike man, and he died from cancer. His friend and PH from Africa was Harry Selby.

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Grantham Forester

Just a few notes--The PH you mentioned was indeed Phillip Percival-- he was most likely the model for Robert Wilson in Hemingway's best short story ever-IMO anyway-- "The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber"--Wilson carried a George Gibbs BA in .505 Gibbs caliber, Phillip Percival most likely had his .470 H&H double express rifle when he guided Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt, it was later damaged when run over by a lorry, and he went to a .416 Rigby with express sights and used that for the rest of his hunting/guiding career. I think Ruark was a first rate writer, he was born in 1915 and died in Spain in 1965 at age 50. He had Hemingway both used booze and women to excess, but Hemingway was not a known smoker, Ruark was a two-pack a day Lucky Strike man, and he died from cancer. His friend and PH from Africa was Harry Selby.

Darn, you are tough! I was sure I had Ruark's dates correct. Oh, well. There is an interesting video entitled In the Blood wherein several heirs of Roosevelt go ahunt'n in Africa and shoot some of TR's guns. I met R.L. Wilson once (in Cody, Wy). He explained that the fire was worse that depicted in the flick and that they lost one of TR's rifles. He also said the scene wherein they attacked some poachers was more dangerous that shown. They killed a few.

I agree that Ruark was a fine writer. I found Something of Value amazing. I recall when my parents read it, everybody was, in ca. 1955. I was not allowed to. I own two copies now, one is a "loaner". There is an issue of Life magazine that covers Ruark's experiences in Africa during the Mau Mau uprising and I have a copy. Obama's great grandfather, apparently, was a Mau Mau leader. Nice guys, those.

I think Selby is still living and resides in Texas. There have been some nice articles of his experiences with Ruark published lately.