These are interesting relatively short vignettes/interviews in which the writers noted talk about life issues and writing. The Hemingway interviews print out to about 112 pages. The below link is an NPR link about the interviews and how alike the three writers featured were in their approaches to writing.
Here is a quote from the article: “Despite their differences, in their respective interviews, Hemingway, Dick and Ephron are in harmonious agreement about the writing life: namely that it’s composed of one part inspiration and daily buckets of perspiration. Sure, you don’t expect even the most narcissistic artist to go on and on about his or her own genius in an interview, but the degree to which Hemingway, Dick and Ephron — separated by time period and individual temperament — keep hammering home the same message about writing is striking.”
I just finished reading the Hemingway interviews. All were interesting and I particularly like the one by George Plimpton. When Plimpton asked why Hemingway rewrote the end of A Farewell to Arms 39 times, Hemingway said, “To get the words right.” One point that came through repeatedly was how shy Hemingway was when sober and how unwilling he was to talk about his writing “process” or theory. He felt that to try to analyze his “style” or “technique” might destroy it and he assiduously did not want to talk about those issues. In fact, he didn’t really want to be interviewed at all but was polite. At times he rambled but these interviews were during periods when Hemingway was suffering bouts of poor health. Hem is described as seeming old and lonely.
I think you will enjoy them. Two were done in the late ’50s. One was done in 1960, which is a year before his death. Best, Christine
https://www.npr.org/2016/01/11/460692534/revisiting-the-last-interview-of-ernest-hemingway-philip-k-dick-and-nora-ephron?ft=nprml&f=460692534
Hello Christine –
I will read the interview when I have time, thanks for posting. I can recommend this article – “Hemingway’s Death” – for the tributes and opinions expressed by his contemporaries. It was written by Jeffrey Meyers, who did a comprehensive assessment of Ernest’s condition leading to suicide in his book “Hemingway – a Biography”
https://www.thearticle.com/hemingways-suicide
Hi Timothy: Just read the Jeffrey Meyers’s piece. Very very moving. I like his biography too. Thank you for sharing this piece. There was debate on one of the Hem facebook pages with one person very firm that we ought not to “laud” a suicide, i.e. that it was a shameful thing. I agree with almost all of the other comments in the Meyer’s article: it is a brave acceptance of what is and your own assessment. I don’t celebrate it but leave it to each to make his/her own assessment and yes, i think there is a courage in deciding the worth of your life. Thanks Timothy. I really appreciate it. Very best, Christine