The Short Stories: The First Forty-nine Stories with a Brief Preface by the Author

I had never read any of Hemingway's stories and I thought this book would be a good introduction to his work. Initially I checked it out from the library, and I liked the first few stories enough that I wanted to have the book in my colleciton. I have enjoyed reading it very much. The stories paint a good picture of the times in which Hemingway lived; it is easy to see similarities in his style as compared with other writers of his time. Even so, his stories have a unique quality of their own and seem to give a glance into the man himself. I think Hemingway is good at creating a mental image that makes one feel as though they are on location and observing what is taking place. I'm not sure I would read Hemingway in large doses due to the heavy content of his writing, but the good thing about short stories is that you can get just the right dose and come back later for more. I'm sure I will eventually read one of Hemingway's novels because I like the short stories so much. On another note, the book is just the right size to take along when traveling or for a break between errands.

Ernest Hemingway was one of the first celebrity writers. In fact, his life was so interesting that, for a time, it looked like he was more interesting than what he wrote. While I read A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises relatively early in life, I remember really getting into Carlos Baker's biography of the "larger than life" author. At first, I steered clear of Hemingway's short stories; on the whole, I am not a big fan of short stories. They're over too fast, for one thing, and add to this a professor I had along the way who likened every short story to the archetypical story of Adam and Eve, and my interest in the short story form evaporated like yesterday's rainwater. Then in the 70's I saw a Hollywood adaptation of Hemingway's Nick Adams stories (and especially after seeing Paul Newman play the washed up boxer in "The Battler"), I dusted off my copy of EH's short stories, and read them all over the course of a couple of days and was blown away by them. Later, when I taught "Big Two-Hearted River" and "My Old Man" to the American Authors class in a local high school, I had some of the most soul-searching discussions with the students. Often, I would read one of the stories aloud to them and then we'd talk about it. What was there about these stories that brought the class alive and so open to discussion? One reason might be that they are written so simply and, yet, pack such an emotional punch the reader hardly sees it coming. In "Big Two-Hearted River", for example, he's not just telling about a fishing expedition, catching and cleaning fish, packing them up for the trip home; he's got that bit about the ants on the burning log which transfers quite nicely as an allegory for human existence. In his laconic, yet sophisticated style--unparalleled by any author before or since, Hemingway creates a visceral reaction in the reader; the reader, without a lot of fancy footwork, EXPERIENCES what the first breakup feels like ( "The End of Something"), or how it feels to get drunk for the first time ("The Three Day Blow"). The plight of the returning soldier ("A Soldier's Home"), and the desperation of the dispossessed (Old Man on a Bridge) are unearthed in the reader as though he is returning home or sitting alone at the bridge during wartime. We all know, that in life Hemingway was all for grace under pressure and possessed an almost manic push to experience everything. In his short stories, especially, we can truly experience what it really feels like to be alive and never have to leave our recliner. Heartfelt thanks for that, Ernest.

Aside from his equating the murder of wild animals with "manliness," the way he seduces the reader through the building of simple declarative sentences is pure magic. Anyone who aspires to write or to enhance his appreciation of fiction can learn from reading these classic stories, provided his disagreeable themes don't sully the experience.

Like many, I love reading Hemingway. I was a little hesitant to pay the cost of this collection of stories, but after reading it I love it. This is a collectible book, with a nice binding and hardcover. It has some stories displayed with several versions of the same story, with pencil lines through sections he scratched out. It provides a fascinating look into the mind of one of the truly great writers. Viewing the way he edited and rewrote stories as he tweaked and polished them, makes me admire Hemingway all the more, seeing what a true craftsman he was. I've read that he worked very hard at his writing, and this book gives us all a peak into that world he worked within, molding and shaping his stories to create what we have come to know of his works. I love this book.

I am specifically writing about the Hemingway Library edition of the collected short stories. I have not read any Hemingway for many years-really since high school. Rather than jump into his novels I thought I would start with the short stories. I am not that knowledgeable about Hemingway in any expert way-as opposed to many other writers whom I have read, studied and re-read( Joyce, Lowry, James and Tolstoy just to name a few). I found these stories to be written in a simple straightforward style which is deceptive in its plainness. Natural man , unnatural man, God or lack thereof, cynicism, idealism thwarted, suicide , despair, existential angst, modern man lost in purpose, cruelty, senseless violence, sexual politics-these themes are in abundance. I can see why Hemingway later committed suicide. This edition is interesting if you care about his revisions and changes to the stories as an insight into his creative process. If you don’t care you can choose another edition or skip the supplementary material.

Llego perfecto y me encanta el autor. Buena edición.

What more can I say then... Hemingway! I worship the man. He is our modern era Shakespeare. Those absolutely perfect short stories like The Snows of Kilimanjaro, The Green Hill's of Africa. I weep with jealousy at Hem's profound work. He was a towering, world changing genius. No other reader but Stacey Keach should ever presume to read Hemingway. He channels Hem eerily. I had a professional career as a writer. My entire life has been one long love affair with the written word. Wordcraft has been my lover. Hem turned my head first as a fresh young man, so alluring were the stories . IF ONLY I could write just one sentence as perfectly as Hem! I am his Salieri, as Salieri was to Amadeus. Oh! The stories! The Old Man and The Sea, The Nick Adams Stories, Islands In the Stream. This case of audio Cd's is easy on the eye, uncrowded, but conveying perfectly what's inside. I'm overly proud to display this case in my book case.

I felt I liked some of the stories in this short book . Very fascinating to read since I am getting into Hemingway . Snows of Kilimanjaro are great .. I liked many of travel stories of characters in this book . There is a lot of emphasis on ambiance which I like . If your Hemingway fan this is must read . I felt that apart from nick Adams story there are enough short stories to admire and feel a different classic time .

Excellent

I loved to read it.