Big Two-Hearted River
by Ernest Hemingway 
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A gorgeous new centennial edition of Ernest Hemingway's landmark short story of a veteran's solo fishing trip in Michigan's rugged Upper Peninsula, illustrated with specially commissioned artwork by master engraver Chris Wormell and featuring a revelatory foreword by John N. Maclean. "A century since its publication in the collection In Our Time, "Big Two-Hearted River" has helped shape language and literature in America and across the globe, and its magnetic pull continues to draw readers, show more writers, and critics. The story is the best early example of Ernest Hemingway's now-familiar writing style: short sentences, punchy nouns and verbs, few adjectives and adverbs, and a seductive cadence. Easy to imitate, difficult to match. The subject matter of the story has inspired generations of writers to believe that fly fishing can be literature. More than any of his stories, it depends on his 'iceberg theory' of literature, the notion that leaving essential parts of a story unsaid, the underwater portion of the iceberg, adds to its power. Taken in context with his other work, it marks Hemingway's passage from boyish writer to accomplished author: nothing big came before it, novels and stories poured out after it." -from the foreword by John N. Maclean. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Don't Go Down to the Swamp Today
Review of the Mariner Classics Kindle ebook (May 9, 2023), with an Introduction by John N. Maclean with Illustrations by Chris Wormell, of the original short story written from 1923-24 and first published in the Boni & Liveright 1925 edition of 'In Our Time.'
Big Two-Hearted River is probably one of the most analyzed of Ernest Hemingway's short stories. It is a famous example of his 'iceberg show more theory' where the main subject of the story is hidden from the view of the reader, just as the bulk of an iceberg is hidden underwater. In this case, it is the story of a solo camping and fishing expedition by Nick Adams, a fictional proxy of the author, in which he seeks to blot out memories of his injuries and trauma from the First World War. The war itself is never mentioned, but at various times Nick views, but avoids, a nearby swamp, which stands as a metaphor for his wartime experiences.
This Centennial edition is enhanced by an extended introduction by journalist & writer John N. Maclean, son of Norman Maclean, author of A River Runs Through It, and Other Stories (1976) and a dozen commissioned prints by artist Chris Wormell which illustrate the story's events.
See image at https://i.pinimg.com/736x/db/fa/58/dbfa585a5c2ba5b084b0b793a4195834--printmaking...
A lino print of a rainbow trout by artist Chris Wormell. There are other Wormell black & white fish prints in this edition of 'Big Two-Hearted River,' but I could not locate an online link for any of those. This image is sourced from Pinterest.
Big Two-Hearted River is also an excellent example of writer and mentor Gertrude Stein's influence on early Hemingway. Her more experimental repetitive style (most famously exemplified by the quote "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose") is regularly adopted by Hemingway as words repeat or are echoed in the short declarative sentences which submerge you into a visceral experience of building a camp, cooking food and fishing a river.
Stein was also key in advising Hemingway to cut a major portion of the text, which later appeared as On Writing in various posthumous editions such as The Nick Adams stories (1972) and The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Hemingway Library Collector's Edition (2017). Stein's advice to make the cut was: "Hemingway, remarks are not literature."
I'll leave the last word to writer Tim O'Brien:
Trivia and Link
For some reason, my Kindle highlights for this book are not viewable or shareable on Goodreads, but I did enter them as status updates which you can view here. show less
Review of the Mariner Classics Kindle ebook (May 9, 2023), with an Introduction by John N. Maclean with Illustrations by Chris Wormell, of the original short story written from 1923-24 and first published in the Boni & Liveright 1925 edition of 'In Our Time.'
In the swamp the banks were bare, the big cedars came together overhead, the sun did not come through, except in patches; in the fast deep water, in the half light, the fishing would be tragic. In the swamp fishing was a tragic adventure. Nick did not want it. He did not want to go down the stream any farther today.
Big Two-Hearted River is probably one of the most analyzed of Ernest Hemingway's short stories. It is a famous example of his 'iceberg show more theory' where the main subject of the story is hidden from the view of the reader, just as the bulk of an iceberg is hidden underwater. In this case, it is the story of a solo camping and fishing expedition by Nick Adams, a fictional proxy of the author, in which he seeks to blot out memories of his injuries and trauma from the First World War. The war itself is never mentioned, but at various times Nick views, but avoids, a nearby swamp, which stands as a metaphor for his wartime experiences.
This Centennial edition is enhanced by an extended introduction by journalist & writer John N. Maclean, son of Norman Maclean, author of A River Runs Through It, and Other Stories (1976) and a dozen commissioned prints by artist Chris Wormell which illustrate the story's events.
In Paris, he was an ocean and more away from his home waters in Michigan. The separation intensified the writing. While he worked on the story, he kept a map of northern Michigan posted in his apartment, with blue marks for significant locations. In succeeding drafts, he stripped the story down to one disturbed person moving through a dreamlike, almost hallucinatory landscape of distorted reality. Brown grasshoppers evolve to black in the fire’s footprint, a physical impossibility in the time between flames and green-up. Swamps are not known for being deep and full of swift currents; they are still and often shallow—the many swamps I saw around Seney certainly are. Words repeat, the rhythm pulses, and the prose becomes an incantation. - from the Introduction by John N. Maclean.
See image at https://i.pinimg.com/736x/db/fa/58/dbfa585a5c2ba5b084b0b793a4195834--printmaking...
A lino print of a rainbow trout by artist Chris Wormell. There are other Wormell black & white fish prints in this edition of 'Big Two-Hearted River,' but I could not locate an online link for any of those. This image is sourced from Pinterest.
Big Two-Hearted River is also an excellent example of writer and mentor Gertrude Stein's influence on early Hemingway. Her more experimental repetitive style (most famously exemplified by the quote "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose") is regularly adopted by Hemingway as words repeat or are echoed in the short declarative sentences which submerge you into a visceral experience of building a camp, cooking food and fishing a river.
Stein was also key in advising Hemingway to cut a major portion of the text, which later appeared as On Writing in various posthumous editions such as The Nick Adams stories (1972) and The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Hemingway Library Collector's Edition (2017). Stein's advice to make the cut was: "Hemingway, remarks are not literature."
I'll leave the last word to writer Tim O'Brien:
I identify with Nick Adams probably more than any other hero in American letters because of his fragility and vulnerability. Yes, he sometimes tries to disguise it, but it shines through. - Introduction by Tim O'Brien to the short story Big Two-Hearted River in the collection The Hemingway Stories (March 2021).
Trivia and Link
For some reason, my Kindle highlights for this book are not viewable or shareable on Goodreads, but I did enter them as status updates which you can view here. show less
Një prej zërave më të mëdhenj të shekullit të 20-të, vjen vëllimi me tregime “Lumi i madh me dy zemra”, stili ekonomik dhe i shpenguar i të cilit la gjurmë të pashlyeshme në prozën amerikane.Siç shprehet edhe Niku, personazhi kryesor:“Jetën duhet ta përvetësosh, më pas të krijosh personazhet”.
Ernest Heminguej, nobelisti i dy luftrave botërore, ka shkruar: “Lamtumirë armë”, “Dëborat e Kilimanxharos”, “Për kë bien ato këmbana” etj. Tek “Lumi i madh me dy zemra”, Heminguej paraqet një karakter të përkryer që rritet nga fëmijë në adoleshent e, më pas, në ushtar, veteran, shkrimtar dhe prind…
Ernest Heminguej, nobelisti i dy luftrave botërore, ka shkruar: “Lamtumirë armë”, “Dëborat e Kilimanxharos”, “Për kë bien ato këmbana” etj. Tek “Lumi i madh me dy zemra”, Heminguej paraqet një karakter të përkryer që rritet nga fëmijë në adoleshent e, më pas, në ushtar, veteran, shkrimtar dhe prind…
You can find the full review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/07/24/book-review-big-two-hearted-river-by-ern....
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Ernest Hemingway’s novella, “Big Two-Hearted River,” is a poignant and profound exploration of healing, nature, and the human spirit. Published in 1925 as part of his short story collection In Our Time, this work is renowned for its minimalist style and deep emotional resonance. Let’s delve into the layers of meaning and artistry that make this novella a masterpiece.
Summary
“Big Two-Hearted River” follows Nick Adams, a character often seen as a semi-autobiographical representation of Hemingway himself. After returning from the trauma of World War I, Nick seeks solace and show more rejuvenation in the wilderness of Michigan. The novella is divided into two parts, detailing Nick’s journey to a remote river and his subsequent fishing expedition.
In the first part, Nick arrives at a burned-out town and treks to the river, setting up camp with meticulous care. The second part focuses on his fishing, depicting his methodical and almost ritualistic approach to catching trout. Through these simple actions, Nick reconnects with nature and begins to heal from his wartime experiences.
Themes...................
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You can find the review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/07/24/book-review-big-two-hearted-river-by-ern....
And you can find a related beer review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/07/23/two-hearted-ale-a-timeless-classic-from-.... show less
----------------------------------
Ernest Hemingway’s novella, “Big Two-Hearted River,” is a poignant and profound exploration of healing, nature, and the human spirit. Published in 1925 as part of his short story collection In Our Time, this work is renowned for its minimalist style and deep emotional resonance. Let’s delve into the layers of meaning and artistry that make this novella a masterpiece.
Summary
“Big Two-Hearted River” follows Nick Adams, a character often seen as a semi-autobiographical representation of Hemingway himself. After returning from the trauma of World War I, Nick seeks solace and show more rejuvenation in the wilderness of Michigan. The novella is divided into two parts, detailing Nick’s journey to a remote river and his subsequent fishing expedition.
In the first part, Nick arrives at a burned-out town and treks to the river, setting up camp with meticulous care. The second part focuses on his fishing, depicting his methodical and almost ritualistic approach to catching trout. Through these simple actions, Nick reconnects with nature and begins to heal from his wartime experiences.
Themes...................
-------------------------------
You can find the review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/07/24/book-review-big-two-hearted-river-by-ern....
And you can find a related beer review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/07/23/two-hearted-ale-a-timeless-classic-from-.... show less
Always enjoy Hemingway especially Nick Adams stories
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Ernest Miller Hemingway was born in the family home in Oak Park, Ill., on July 21, 1899. In high school, Hemingway enjoyed working on The Trapeze, his school newspaper, where he wrote his first articles. Upon graduation in the spring of 1917, Hemingway took a job as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. After a short stint in the U.S. Army as a show more volunteer Red Cross ambulance driver in Italy, Hemingway moved to Paris, and it was here that Hemingway began his well-documented career as a novelist. Hemingway's first collection of short stories and vignettes, entitled In Our Time, was published in 1925. His first major novel, The Sun Also Rises, the story of American and English expatriates in Paris and on excursion to Pamplona, immediately established him as one of the great prose stylists and preeminent writers of his time. In this book, Hemingway quotes Gertrude Stein, "You are all a lost generation," thereby labeling himself and other expatriate writers, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot, and Ford Madox Ford. Other novels written by Hemingway include: A Farewell To Arms, the story, based in part on Hemingway's life, of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse; For Whom the Bell Tolls, the story of an American who fought, loved, and died with the guerrillas in the mountains of Spain; and To Have and Have Not, about an honest man forced into running contraband between Cuba and Key West. Non-fiction includes Green Hills of Africa, Hemingway's lyrical journal of a month on safari in East Africa; and A Moveable Feast, his recollections of Paris in the Roaring 20s. In 1954, Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his novella, The Old Man and the Sea. A year after being hospitalized for uncontrolled high blood pressure, liver disease, diabetes, and depression, Hemingway committed suicide on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Ernest Hemingway has a Legacy Library. Legacy libraries are the personal libraries of famous readers, entered by LibraryThing members from the Legacy Libraries group.
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