Collection of 2 typed letters (1 with some autograph lines, both signed ("Ernie").

Hemingway, Ernest, American novelist, Nobel laureate (1899-1961).

Published by San Francisco de Paula (Cuba), 1953 to 1955.

About this Item

Large 4to. Altogether 2½ pp. on 3 ff. With one autograph envelope. On Hemingway's personal Finca Vigia stationery. To George Brown, the owner of a gymnasium in Manhattan, Hemingway's personal trainer, boxing coach, and friend. - I: Hemingway's affection for his sporting pal is evident in this revealing and highly personal letter, written shortly before Ernest and Mary left for an African safari: "How are you kid? Mary sends her best. We are fine and in very good shape and think of you often. Were out on a trip together on the boat for two weeks and we go to bed every night after it gets dark and have plenty of time to talk and to sleep good [.]". Hemingway then gives news of his sons, and mentions his youngest son ("Gig"), who, in his early twenties, was turning violently hostile to his father: "I am sorry I spoke against Gig since he is a friend of yours and used to be of mine as well as my favorite son. But he changed very strange very fast. As bad as though the devil was managing him. I couldn't ever see him again; not even to go and see him hanged. But if he seems good to you, O.K. I haven't heard from him since last November when he came of age [.]" (Finca Vigia, San Francisco de Paula, Cuba, May 12, 1953). - II: Written from his sickbed. Preparations were still being made for the film mentioned above, and Hemingway had spent September trying to get actions shots of leaping marlins for the producer Leland Hayward. Apparently, too, Hemingway was making an effort to get Brown involved in getting Spencer Tracy in shape, for he writes: "I am very sorry about [Peter] Viertel [wrote the screenplay] behaving so carelessly. He is a very selfish boy but I think he has a little bit of an excuse in that he was with Zinneman[n] on the script and was expecting you out there. While Zinneman[n] was down here we discussed the whole thing about your getting Spencer in shape and agreed it was absolutely necessary and we spoke about it again on the long distance phone […]" (ibid., November 25, 1955; with several autograph lines in pencil). - Partly light-soiled, otherwise in fine condition.

Seller Inventory # 30219

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Collection of 2 typed letters (1 with some autograph lines, both signed ("Ernie").
• Publisher: San Francisco de Paula (Cuba), 1953 to 1955.
• Seller catalogs:
  • Autographs: Literature