On July 21, 1899, Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Several decades later, I would first “discover” him through The Sun Also Rises and develop a passion for every word he wrote, even those published posthumously, and for learning every thing I could about his life. Maybe I wouldn’t have been friends with him–I’m definitely not about big-game hunting in Africa, and his attitude toward women was often abysmal. But I fell in love with his language, his passion for the great outdoors, and the moral codes of his characters, and I’ll make no apologies for that.
In 1987, the year before Tom and I married, we took a vacation with friends to Florida that included a drive down to Key West. Since I was there, I opted out of some other group activity one morning so that I could spend time at Hemingway’s Key West home. It’s been too many years ago for me to remember details about where on the property I took some of these photos, but I offer them to anyone who’d like to enjoy them as a celebration of the birthday of one of our greatest American writers, Ernest Hemingway.
I arrive. Note the Coca Cola polo shirt. Tim said he always wanted one but couldn’t afford it. You know what? As a struggling student, neither could I. This shirt was a gift from Lynne.
A couple of shots of the famous Hemingway cats enjoying the fountains. The cats are very friendly and are distinctive for their extra toes.
I think this was in the dining room:
Hemingway’s studio with the typewriter he used while in residence there. This is where he worked on Death in the Afternoon, Green Hills of Africa, To Have And Have Not, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and many of his short stories, including “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber.”
Tour’s over. And I see that I was always a Nikes girl:
You can see far better photos and read about the house at their web site.
I knew nothing about the Hemingway cats. Thanks for that link! And thanks for these pictures, UCB [Utterly Cute Becky].
Hey, in that last photo, I totally look like I’m sporting a handlebar moustache, I think.
You’re welcome!
Ha! Yeah, you do! Shades of the Frito Bandito you were to become, or something. : )
Posted 9 minutes before deadline … good job. Hemingway is a little too grue for my taste – said the girl who loves Poe.
Yeah, I almost didn’t make it.
Is it the dead fish? The dead game? THE BULL GORINGS?
a combo of all … he was just too “brutish” for me… as far as gorings go… I think that in some situations like in the ring, sometimes it’s well … deserved.
i should also say that I do like the photography here … and that it’s always interesting to know who your favorites favorites are.
Thanks–they’re a bit blurry. Oh, the days of film, when you had no idea what your photos looked like until you could scrape up enough money to get them developed.
I was looking at their site and I saw that they rent the Hemingway house for wedding ceremonies. I can’t imagine getting married there. Seems like it would be a bad omen.
Well, all of his wives gave him plenty to write about, so in that sense…
Maybe it’s the place to wed if you don’t plan on being faithful, sane, and/or dying of natural causes.
I love this post. It reminds me of a time when we were laughing hysterically over a Hemingway quote, something like The road to hell is paved with stuffed dogs… Unfortunately I don’t remember the context.
While looking at the picture of his study, I was thinking that I would love a room like that to write in, but then I looked around at the room I’m in–I guess it’s my own version
I don’t remember why we were talking about it, either. It’s one of my favorite moments from The Sun Also Rises.
how interesting about the hemingway cats!
and maybe sporting a handlebar moustache is something you should look into? it’s an awfully cute picture… 😉
Perhaps when menopause hits–MANY YEARS FROM NOW!–it’ll happen naturally.
Great pics, as always!
I never knew about Hemingway’s cats. Growing up we had a cat that had extra toes. I can’t think that they would be related.
You’re back! I missed you. I loved Mark’s pictures. Did y’all have a good time at the beach?
It was great!
Danielle rated it 10/10 for Mark.
Thank you so much for sharing these – how wonderful to have actually visited!
Great that they actually allowed you to photograph the ‘typewriter room’ – so many of these historic places won’t let you share.
But it looks so peaceful and downright inspirational, one can see how the stoires came into being.