Hemingway's Boat

Everything He Loved in Life, and Lost, 1934 - 1961

By: Paul Hendrickson

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

An award-winning historian and author, Paul Hendrickson here turns his attention to one of America’s most cherished literary icons, Ernest Hemingway. Drawing on previously unpublished material, Hendrickson focuses on Hemingway’s life in its twilight, just prior to his suicide, and the seemingly singular constant in the man’s life: his boat, Pilar. On this vessel, Hemingway would entertain and travel, but it would also be the scene of some of his greatest tragedies.

©2011 Paul Hendrickson (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“A lyrical and expansive search for the essence of a famous writer—heart, soul, and hull.” (Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune Top Picks of 2011)

“The author, an accomplished storyteller, interprets myriad tiny details of Ernest Hemingway’s life, and through them says something new about a writer everyone thinks they know.” ( The Economist Books of the Year 2011)

“Hendrickson’s engrossing book offers a fresh slant on the rise and fall of a father figure of American literature.” ( San Francisco Chronicle Best Books of 2011)

one of my all time favorites.

one of my all time favorites. I have listened to this around 10 times. great every time!

Made me sea-sick

I am a life-long Hemingway fan, but this author, in the words of an earlier reviewer, 'manages to make Hemingway boring.' Descibes every meaningless detail of any person who ran into Hemingway - that's irrelevant... e-n-d-l-e-s-s ... soooooo long

Outstanding

The book and the performance are superb. They compliment each other for a truly satisfying experience. Often listened to sections a second or third time and read parts in the book subsequent to the audio. Highly recommended!

Not so clever biography.

I somewhat feel like I was sold a bill of goods. Toward the end the author (assuming not knowing where else to take the story) ventured into three additional biographies including Walter Houk, Arnold Samuelson, and Greg Hemingway. This book is nothing more than an additional Hemingway biography using Pilar (sparely and, at times, unreasonably) as the center piece of the story. Tell a piece of Hemingway history... insert Pilar at the end.

No Hemingway biographer exceeds Hendrickson.

The insight and thoroughness of this biography is astonishing. Hendrickson brilliantly channels Hemingway's life and soul. So well done. Fantastic reading too.