Indiana Jones and the Hills of White Elephants

This afternoon novelist Una McCormack retweeted a link to a McSweeney’s Internet Tendency piece by Rachel Klein titled Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” from “The Girl”‘s Point of View. I don’t read McSweeney’s as often as I feel that I should, so I was glad that I read this. Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills LikeContinue reading “Indiana Jones and the Hills of White Elephants”

Fifteen Influential Authors

I saw this on Facebook a few days ago, meant to answer it, and got sidetracked into other things. That happens. The rules: Don’t take too long to think about it. List 15 authors (poets and comic writers included) who have influenced you and who will always stick with you. List the first 15 youContinue reading “Fifteen Influential Authors”

On Favorite Characters In a Book

To my chagrin, I made it through college without ever having to read F. Scott Fitzgerald in an English course. I did, however, read Fitzgerald for my American history course. I had to write a paper on "Echoes of the Jazz Age," an essay where Fitzgerald used this memorable phrase to describe the 1920s —Continue reading “On Favorite Characters In a Book”

On Hemingway and Writing Tricks

Lately, and of no real surprise, I’ve been on an Ernest Hemingway kick. I discovered that a restored edition of A Moveable Feast is forthcoming. My contribution to Peter David’s round-robin Twilight parody was two thousand words of quality imitation Hemingway entitled “Santora,” complete with bullfights, wine, villas, and cryptically coded sex. Of course, whatContinue reading “On Hemingway and Writing Tricks”

On Restored Hemingway

A few months ago, in a production meeting at work, the marketing director said, in regards to an article I had written, “We’re not writing Hemingway here.” My retort went unvoiced: “No, I try and write like Fitzgerald, thanks.” Ernest Hemingway. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Two of the great American writers of the 20th-century. Both ex-pats,Continue reading “On Restored Hemingway”

On Hemingway’s Papers

A few weeks ago, during our weekly Friday production meeting at work, our marketing director announced, “We’re not writing Hemingway here.” This was in reference to something I had written for the company’s website, on something I had some knowledge of and interest in — Tolkien, the Volsung Saga, and the new Tolkien book comingContinue reading “On Hemingway’s Papers”

On F. Scott Fitzgerald and Heroic Fantasy

Little known fact. F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby and coiner of the term “The Jazz Age,” wrote heroic fantasy. Why bring this up? On a mailing list I subscribe to the question was asked, “It’s interesring to note that though Hemingway and Fitzgerald did make it big, they still were miserable andContinue reading “On F. Scott Fitzgerald and Heroic Fantasy”