James R. Mellow (1926–1997)

This isn't a particularly long book. Why then, did it take me so very long to read it? Because it was very boring. This is one of those rarities -- a boring book on an interesting subject.

That subject is Gertrude Stein and her circle of friends. The friends include Picasso, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Juan Gris, Matisse, Cezanne, and many, many others. Those people and that time and place fascinate me, and I've read accounts about and by many of them. And I must say that of all those fascinating show more and talented people, Gertrude seems to me to be the least talented.

On the other hand, it is fascinating to see how far she got with so little going for her. What she had in her favor was a brother who was a brilliant art collector, and the luck of being in the right place at the right time. She had an ego to rival that of Salvador Dali, but not the talent. She helped many young writers, but would usually drop them if they reached a level to be a threat to her professionally. She supported Petain if not because she was a fascist, then at least because it was in her own self-interest to do so. I think her greatest attribute was her personality that many people found profoundly attractive. I also give her credit for forming a lifelong bond with her partner Alice Toklas. They were together for 40 years, until her death. In that she was also lucky. show less

Mellow's biography of Hemingway manages the unmanageable: he writes sensitively of an insensitive subject, and weaves a narrative of convincing enough factuality out of a subject who thrived, in more way than one, on fiction. For this reader at least Hemingway emerges as thoroughly reprehensible, and Mellow as thoroughly admirable! That I'm sure was not Mellow's intention. He writes with beautiful clarity and narrative energy and creates an unforgettable biography of a larger than life show more tragedy. Only the photos are a disappointment. show less

Juicy and long overdue bio of the Fitzgerald marriage. Mellow should have gone further with Zelda's understanding of Scott as a woman, their marriage as essentially homosexual, and Scott's subsequent panic at this revelation.

This is an excellent source of information for true Hemingway fans. Mellow does a great job of detailing Hemingway's life and providing documentation from letters and other sources as he pieces together the history of Hemingway's own life story. That said, this is more of a scholarly work and unless you are a true Hemingway fan the book may be cumbersome to read, as it is extremely detailed. It would be an excellent resources for a college paper or anyone who desires to know as much as can show more be possibly known about this author. A great reference book/ resource. show less