James McLendon (1942–1982)

An informative and well researched book on Ernest Hemingway's years spent at Key West. This was the place Hemingway set upon coming back from his early years in Europe, primarily France and Spain. The off the beaten path as well as off beat characters he encountered here matched up pretty well with his persona and image creation.

His then wife Pauline and the boys settled her in a settled and unsettled way as it played out. The author reveals much on the authors associations and lifestyle that melded its way into the Hemingway legend and mythology. He wrote "The Green Hills of Africa", "To Have and Have Not" (based in Key West and his only such American based novel),and part of "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

Hemingway was quite conscious of the image he portrayed and worked to portray and Key West did its part to lend to this novel way of life. To this day it is a major part of the attraction there and lends itself to become what the tourists and seekers wish to find.… (more)

This was a very well-constructed chase story. It tells the story of Eddie Macon, convicted of a trumped-up charge against a bad man, sentenced to prison, whose sentence was extended due to a misguided escape attempt. His first escape was thwarted by the prison "hounder" who Eddie literally ran into. Several years later, Eddie has planned another escape attempt. This attempt has been very thoroughly planned, and involves a 108 mile run across Texas scrub. And the hounder is after him again...will he make it to the border? Will he see his wife and children again? Or will he be caught and returned to prison for the rest of his life???… (more)