Hemingway is a testosterone loaded chest-thumping blood-glorifying nincompoop and the resurgence of his popularity here makes me SQUIRM.
There are new translations of his work out, and folks have asked me about him, but the bottom line is that I think that he sucks, and that if he hadn't killed himself, and hadn't marketed himself so efficiently he would have disappeared back into the slimy sweat-smelling hole from whence he slithered.
His book "The Sun also Rises" which he wrote while in Spain during the Spanish Civil War was little more than an exultant romp through all things uber-cliched-masculine with little or no thought of meaning or humanity. It made me nauseous.
Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia", also in the Spanish Civil War, which Orwell was here for, is a more balanced view of events and not a celebration. I am not sure what bizarre quirk there was inside Hemingway's head to make him so obsessed with all things hyper-masculine, but OMG, I am so done with him.
If any of you out there are being forced to read him...well, my sympathies. There are much better English language writers.
Bleach.
OK. I feel much better thankyouverymuch.
I had a wonderful walk with the dog today, it is cooler but so clear...the photo at the top is the view out of the living room, and this was on the walk today....
Youngest drew this in school today...bilingual art. Nice to see.
The reverse side...
Below is a picture of the area where the computer sits in my house, and you can see the wicker basket it sits on. Before that was a black Ikea table. It worked without any problems, it was the first piece of furniture we found when we got here. You see we were very very broke. After the first day, we had 2 pots. No pan. Four forks, four knives, four spoons, four glasses, one cooking knife and a wooden spoon. We had three (one double) inflatable mattresses, and the sleeping bags we brought with us. The living room furniture was these same sleeping bags in sail bags. Kinda like bean bags, but cushier, and we had to take them apart every night to go to bed. There were also only two, and four of us.
They don't do yard sales here, instead if you don't want something anymore, you just put it out by the trash bins and anyone can take it. No stigma attached. So we spent the first few months wandering around every evening looking for furniture. We got this table as the first piece ever. The computer sat on it and the phone once we got it etc etc etc...the only problem was that there was a weird sort of eddy effect and it became the place where dust bunnies and tumbleweeds of hair went to die.... it was impossible to sweep out because of all the electric cables. Plus the cables were darned ugly, and I wouldn't put it past Chuckbacca to chew on them, electrocute himself and burn down the apartment. Well, today, in the garbage outside my house was this box/basket/chest. PERFECT!!!!
It fits in the space, all the cables and power bars and crap go inside and only the wires come out. If we are going long enough we can unplug everything and put it in the box so that Dogalicious doesn't come a cropper.... and no more dust bunnies or cables!!!!
Yeehaw! I am a happy girl.
7 comments:
I soooo agree with you about Hemingway and Orwell. Though apparently the people who lived in Wigan at the time when he said it was so dreadful and filthy (Road to Wigan Pier) took offense because those were still the days when people scrubbed the front steps. The other 2 writers I can't read unless forced to are D H Lawrence who I find really pretentious and Thomas Hardy who is less pretentious but I find dull. I always hated Hemingway though because he was such a fraud on nearly every front.
Great basket! Am feeling like an idiot because long ago when I read where the bells toll - never noticed that it was absolute macho crap - must reread. Orwell I thought at the time was rather clever. OK - I was probably 12 - so obviously must reread.
Can't wait to SEE you! Love your blog about insipring women. glad I have YOU!
I am unaccountably pleased to see where you sit and blog and such.
And your opening sentence of this post? It pleased me, too. Heartily.
I have never managed to get past the first chapter of Hemmingway - I am such a quitter. Just out of curiousity how are you getting on with Attwood. I started her with Handmaid's tale which I couldn't get on with, but then read Cat's Eye which I loved. I do think she can be patchy. I thought your headline might be about her and was prepared to defend her
Gorgeous view from your living room - cute art work from your daughter!
(And, yikes - I like Hemingway...)
Helen: I kind of liked the Road to Wiggan Pier...one mans clean though may be another's...
Nana: Looking forward to seeing you too...you gave me the idea for the box to clean it up, I just had to wait for my box to appear. Thank you very much for the compliment my dear...you're pretty amazing yourself you know..
Jocelyn: It is kind of neat to see where someone sits to post...we should sponser a post a pic of your seat day...well, maybe a different name...
Glad you liked the opening...he's such a dork.
Boo: I talk about Atwood above. I too loathed the Handmaid's Tale, maybe I should try Cat's Eye. She certainly isn't a crap writer...but...
Beth: Don't say YIKES! I don't want to make you feel like your liking him is unwelcome. You mustn't entirely as you said it, even if it is in paragrpahs...defend him for me, maybe there is something I am missing? Heck Hon, you're half the reason I have my nose in an Atwood, I resect your opinion, so give it a whirl...eh?
Why I like Hemingway?
His simple prose that conveys so much. That takes such skill...and is such an art.
Not such a good defence - haven't read his work in ages.
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