I have been re-reading some of the classics in the hopes of catching awe-induced paralysis at the enormous talents of literary giants and therefore giving more power to my procrastination and blocks concerning writing prose. So, "For Whom The Bell Tolls," has been my latest adventure, which I think I read at some point but had forgotten largely.
The first few chapters I was thinking, "man, was Hemingway overrated at times or what?" That surely disappears 30 pages in and he does nothing short of amaze with multiple points of view, internal dialogue, dialogue, image (there are litanies of scents that carry one through a spectrum of sensations) and so on. Truly a great book for its tension between characters, its internal and external tensions. Wonderful.
One thing I had forgotten completely was Robert Jordan, the main character, and his roots in Missoula, Montana. It was fun for me to see Hemingway mentioning the old alma matter and in having the main character hail from there:
"I wonder how they will like Maria in Missoula, Montana? That is if I can get a job back in Missoula."
I suppose this would be a good title for a poem. A good first line. Or, "What they thought of Maria in Missoula." Then again, I already have a bag full of poems mentioning Missoula and the Clark Fork River, not to mention Kalispell and Flathead Lake.
Question: Is Elmore Leonard's "Cuba Libre" some sort of remake of "For Whom the Bell Tolls?" He is a Hemingway fan for certain, and has mentioned reading Hem before writing on a regular basis. Interesting idea. There was something about the haircut, the Guardia Civil, etc, that seemed familiar.
And of course, today they announced the winner of the Hem look-a-like contest in Key West. See image above today from Reuters.
Two other pics are from the Eidsvig archives of Missoula. Enjoy.
The first few chapters I was thinking, "man, was Hemingway overrated at times or what?" That surely disappears 30 pages in and he does nothing short of amaze with multiple points of view, internal dialogue, dialogue, image (there are litanies of scents that carry one through a spectrum of sensations) and so on. Truly a great book for its tension between characters, its internal and external tensions. Wonderful.
One thing I had forgotten completely was Robert Jordan, the main character, and his roots in Missoula, Montana. It was fun for me to see Hemingway mentioning the old alma matter and in having the main character hail from there:
"I wonder how they will like Maria in Missoula, Montana? That is if I can get a job back in Missoula."
I suppose this would be a good title for a poem. A good first line. Or, "What they thought of Maria in Missoula." Then again, I already have a bag full of poems mentioning Missoula and the Clark Fork River, not to mention Kalispell and Flathead Lake.
Question: Is Elmore Leonard's "Cuba Libre" some sort of remake of "For Whom the Bell Tolls?" He is a Hemingway fan for certain, and has mentioned reading Hem before writing on a regular basis. Interesting idea. There was something about the haircut, the Guardia Civil, etc, that seemed familiar.
And of course, today they announced the winner of the Hem look-a-like contest in Key West. See image above today from Reuters.
Two other pics are from the Eidsvig archives of Missoula. Enjoy.
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