Sold – Hemingway on Writing, Working, Drinking, Fishing, Hunting, and How Inspiration Comes to Him

“Some days when I am going good it just seems as though we are getting it for nothing, like ducks coming into a blind. Then some days I have to go after it like hunting sheep.  But a couple of chapters have just walked into camp on me, and I was afraid to shoot them…”

Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway’s works have made him one of the greatest of American authors. Full of action, that action was matched by his own zest for life and activity, whether deep sea fishing, bullfighting, gambling, or just living day to day.  The following important letter is a stream of Hemingway’s consciousness on his books, and on those other things that meant most to him: writing and how he did it; how he got his inspiration and what that felt like; his progress on his work, in this case comparing his work-in-progress “For Whom the Bell Tolls” to “A Farewell to Arms”; and among others his fishing, safari, hunting and drinking exploits.

“Have never worked harder, nor more regularly nor more at a time – nor I think, better maybe. Lately it’s been going better than Farewell to Arms was. Really. Wish to hell you could read it.  But I get so damned pooped when I finish work and then have a couple of drinks and then try to get some exercise so as to sleep so as to work the next day.”

Hemingway wrote his acclaimed “A Farewell to Arms” in 1929, and its quality and level of complexity gave him stature as a major American writer. “To Have and Have Not” was published in 1937, and was about a fishing boat captain who ran contraband between Cuba and Florida. At the time of this letter, Hemingway was in talks with Hollywood executives about selling film rights to the latter novel and was optimistic about the results. The book was in fact made into a film starring Humphrey Bogart, though that film was five years away. His short story “After the Storm,” an account of an actual shipwreck that claimed hundreds of lives off the Florida Keys, was also sold to Hollywood. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was started in March 1939 and finished in July 1940, and he was actively working on it at the time of this letter; it is widely regarded as one of the best (if not the best) of his works. It sold half a million copies within months, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and established Hemingway’s literary reputation.  The recipient of the letter was Charles P. Thompson, a close friend who taught Hemingway how to fish, accompanied him on safari, and was the inspiration for the character Karl in Hemingway’s book “The Green Hills of Africa”. Pelotas are jai alai games on which the patrons gamble.

Typed Letter Signed, 2 pages, Havana, June 13, 1939, to Thompson. “…The reason I haven’t written before is just working.  Am on page 243 (had 47 when I left Key West).  Have never worked harder, nor more regularly nor more at a time – nor I think, better maybe. Lately it’s been going better than Farewell to Arms was. Really. Wish to hell you could read it.  But I get so damned pooped when I finish work and then have a couple of drinks and then try to get some exercise so as to sleep so as to work the next day.  And that is why I haven’t written. 

“I know all the guys now and they go out in the boat and on Friday we had a big fiesta at the cove…We drank 19 bottles wine, four of whiskey and a little beer”

“Usually go out in boat Sat. and Sunday. Have caught 10 marlin. Largest 87 lbs. Hooked only one big one (day before yest.). First I’ve had a strike from, although saw one other big one; very big.  He threw hook jumping.  Have had usual trouble hooking small ones.  I believe I don’t strike them hard enough maybe…Caught a 52 lb. wahoo last week…Been going to the pelota a lot and have won about 116 dollars. I know all the guys now and they go out in the boat and on Friday we had a big fiesta at the cove…We drank 19 bottles wine, four of whiskey and a little beer…Let me know about owing money because the Have and Have Not dough is due N.Y. this week and the Shipwreck deal goes on good it seems, and now I am on page 243 and that is a hell of a way.  About 2/3 I guess…Last week wrote 8500 words in spite of pelota and all.  It is really good being so good I get just wrung out and pooped and I have a tendency to think about it all night and not sleep so planned to get drunk last Friday (first time here) and certainly did.  Boy it is blowing outside.  The royals bent with their limbs crashing and me huddling to typewriter to keep warm. Have missed you many times especially on the fish.  Jesus, to hit them, think they are hooked, two jumps and then throw the hook.  Time after time…Have had a series of insulting letters from Harry Sylvester and have kept them to show you.  Very funny. 

“Have missed you many times especially on the fish.  Jesus, to hit them, think they are hooked, two jumps and then throw the hook.“

“Wish me luck on this book Carl.  If it can keep on the way it goes now we have everything whipped.  Some days when I am going good it just seems as though we are getting it for nothing, like ducks coming into a blind.  Then some days I have to go after it like hunting sheep.  But a couple of chapters have just walked into camp on me, and I was afraid to shoot them thinking them having such fine big heads they must belong to you…I couldn’t go to Tommy’s for the tournament because that would really run a chance of buggering my book when going at 1000 to 2000 a day…But if this lousy book is as good as it seems maybe we can all go to Africa again and see him with the proper amount of Doo-doos around him.”  He has added in his hand in pencil  “Good luck Carl – Love to Lorine and much affection, Ernest.”  In a typed postscript he adds “Give the Mick my love and tell him I am writing to him and Tish to thank them for getting the children off.  They were swell and I have been a shit not to write them so far.”

A remarkable letter covering virtually every important aspect of Hemingway’s life and writing, one he obviously typed himself. The portions about his work and working habits are historically significant, showing the cycles of intense writing and drinking, working and playing, that characterized his most productive period. His comparison of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” to “A Farewell to Arms”, and his preferring the former, is very enlightening.  This is one of the finest Hemingway letters we have carried in all these years.