Welcome to Litsy!

I‘ve been haunted the last month by Ken Burns‘s remarkable documentary on Ernest Hemingway. This was one of the first books I ever bought “on writing” and — for all of Hemingway‘s demons and flaws as a human being — I would not be the writer I am today without it.

Wonder why Dad no longer has this book and I do?

It was interesting to read about Hemingway's process and his opinions about literature. At times, I grew tired of his arrogance with regard to other writers. He took pot-shots at many of the greats! I felt like asking him who the h*ll he thinks he is! Still, there is no denying his contribution to American literature. #writersonwriting

In earnest, Ernest, tell me what you really think. 😆

I have always been drawn to Hemingway's books and his prose, so this book was a treat. It's a compilation of anything he ever wrote on the topic of writing. He has great advice for those of us crazy enough to write for a living: Be true. Listen. Observe. "And get the weather in your god damned book-weather is very important!" He was a stickler for details.?He even lists authors he admired + books he felt every writer must read. Delightful!

I'm juggling a few books at the moment:
Audio: I Still Dream about You
Serial Reader: Bram Stoker's Dracula
Hardcover: Oprah
And I just started perusing this Hemingway paperback to counterbalance the Kitty Kelly squalor. 😳
#currentlyreading #photoadaynov16 #serialreader @RealLifeReading
(Photo: belcastroagency.com)

My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?

One more stack from the Santa Barbara book sale. These are all over the map. Some I've been wanting to read and others just tugged at my reading heart. 😊💘📚

Hemingway is not afraid to tell something like it is, and that includes what it's like to be a writer. This may be my favorite book about writing because it's not a how-to but a glimpse into another writer's soul. It's inspiring and fascinating. A must read for any writer.