Hemingway: The Final Years

This is the last volume of the five volume biography written by Michael Reynolds, who until his death in shortly after this final volume was published was probably this countries finest Hemingway scholar. As a biographer, Reynolds most certainly stands upon the top rung of those preceding him and it is quite likely that a specific biography dealing with Hemingway will ever be equal. Reynolds, beyond a doubt, produced the finest multivolume work addressing both Hemingway's life and just as importantly, the overall work of Papa.This last volume deals with Hemingway's life from 1940 until the time of his death on July 2, 1961, The entire work, including this last offering is one of the most meticulously researched work of its kind and the author has left few stones, if any, unturned. I think one of the things that make Reynolds work stand out so is the fact that despite the fact that he was an academic he was able to tell the Hemingway story in such a readable fashion. He most certainly has not "dumbed-down" anything here, but he has presented his material is such an organized fashion that it is almost impossible not to be able to follow the ebb and flow of Hemingway's life.Now whether or not you are a Hemingway fan matters little as to whether or not this work should be read. If a person has the slightest interest in American literature, specifically that literature written since the 1920s, then this work should be read. Hemingway, again...like him or not, was the absolute embodiment of the American dream. He came from a middle class family and rose to become the most influential author of his time. His writing did and still is influencing our written word even to this day...even if some do not want to admit it. He reformed and redesigned the short story turning it into an art form and beyond. He captured every significant literary award available at the time and even before his death his work was front and center in literary courses across the country. His work has been translated into every major language in the world and is still to this day read extensively.During the period of time covered in this last time we find Hemingway reaching the height of his power as an author and witness his decline, both physically and mentally until the almost inevitable conclusion of his suicide. We watch him as he battles his critics, which consisted for the most part of the East Coast intellectuals and through his acceptance which despite some rough spots, grew and grew. We watch as he looses his creative powers and finds that the legend he has built around himself has become a burden rather than an advantage.The biographer, while most certainly a Hemingway fan...make no mistake of this, has addressed the great writer warts and all. He has addressed his strengths as well as his many, many flaws as a writer, man, husband, father and friend. At the same time, Reynolds and incorporated a literary biography along with the story of the man and writer. I am somewhat familiar with the literature that Hemingway produced but I must tell you that Reynolds writing and his comments have shed new light on Hemingway's work for me and I will now be reading it completely different than in the past.This is truly an amazing work. I would strongly recommend reading all five volumes in the order they were released. I have listed these in order at the end of this review.I've been reading on these books for sometime now and truthfully will miss them...well, actually I will probably give them a reread on down the road.The Young HemingwayHemingway: The Paris YearsHemingway: The HomecomingHemingway: The 1930sHemingway: The Final YearsDon BlankenshipThe Ozarks

Although this review is posted under the final volume of Michael Reynolds five volume biography of Ernest Hemingway, the review stands for all of the volumes in the series and therefore of the biography as a whole.It is simply magnificent.For any biography of an artist to stand scrutiny it must explain the deep well of the creative output. This is where Reynolds excels. There is no doubt Hemingway was a difficult and far from lovable man, yet his writing was, at times, sublime and he enriched the century with his books. Reynolds gets to the core of Hemingway as a writer, what moved him, how he wrote and the interrelationship between his life and his writing. It is the best I've read on how a writer writes.All other aspects of Hemingway's life are well written, especially his relationships with his wives and in this last volume his disintegration both physical and emotional are, at times, almost too painful to read.Thank you Mr Reynolds. what a fine achievement.

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Very satisfied with this book and Amazon ' s service.

This is probably the best book I have read about Ernest Hemingway. Michael S. Reynolds' recording of Ernest Hemingway's life and being was written in a pure and honest manner - from all of the books I've read about Mr. Hemingway written by various members of his family, friends of his, etc., I would guess that Mr. Reynolds' account is probably the very best. I loved this book.

This helps to understand the last and tragic years of my favorite author. Reynolds tells the story in a very readable Hemingway style.

Gret research and well written.

I enjoy his multi volume biography, detailed with a bit of analysis of Hemingway's work.