A Moveable Feast, Hemingway’s Tale

A Moveable Feast is the memoir of Ernest Hemingway, one of the greatest writers of the last generation. The letter format of the book explores the journey of Hemingway as a struggling journalist in Paris, France and eventually his journey as a beginner storyteller. The book features his memories of great writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Written

The biggest highlight of this book is that it captures the essence of a struggle of an upcoming writer in Hemingway and the events that unfolded when he met different personalities mentioned in the book. The simplicity and straightforward way Hemingway describes his experiences and makes the reader visualise the cities and people make him one of the brilliant authors of the past century.

Message it Carried

The main message that a person can drive from the books is that it carries the feelings of someone who enjoyed life to the fullest when he was not financially stable. The struggles of Hemingway and the experiences he shared with other people sculpted his character and honed his work. Unfortunately, this small yet brilliant memoir teaches a lot about Hemingway’s journey to becoming a household name in the literary world.

Witty Tale

The simplistic humour of Hemingway, with minor wittiness across the whole events, is a sight to behold; the punches, the memories, and recalled dialogues make you feel alive at the moment and part of the discussion and the way it unfolds across the end of a particular letter or chapter.

Thoughts

One should read this book to get the brief account of a great author who took a step down from his job and risked his life but, with the support of his wife and a belief in himself, curated some of the finest works of the generation. It is not just luck or hard work but a blessing for a human who makes the most of this talent, as in one incident, Hemingway mentioned the time it took him to complete “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.

‘Paris was always worth it, and you received a return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and happy.’

                                                                                                   ~ A Moveable Feast