Ernest Hemmingway

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Pulitzer Prize winning author, Ernest Hemmingway was quite a character. He had four wives. He was an avid fisherman and went on a safari in Africa which nearly killed him when his plane crashed. He had permanent residences in Cuba and Key West, Florida.

My interest in Hemmingway was aroused when we toured his home in Key West. The tour guides weren't stuffy and seemed to share pretty much the ironic stories that made this man unique.

As you tour his house in Key West you will come across a garden with a beautiful china basin filled with water in which many dozens of cats drink from. Well it turns out it actually is the urinal from the first 'Sloppy Joe's Bar'. He took it home for his garden.

The other story involves the pool. His second wife Pauline, whom he married in 1927, had it built as a surprise for him when he returned home. None the too pleased he admonished her spending habits. He declared that she might as well take every cent he has. Supposedly Ernest took a penny from his pocket and handed to her.

If you tour the home today you will see that very penny now embedded in the concrete around the pool. Pauline had put it there as a bit of spiteful humor for his lack of gratefulness.

If you ever get down to Key West, a tour of his home is a must.

Video Courtesy mkayreagan

In 1959 he moved to Ketchum, Idaho where he committed suicide less then two years later in 1961.

Taking note of this date Marty Beckerman, author of "The Heming Way", wrote a piece for Wired.com entitled, "What Hemingway Would Think of the Internet?"

It's a satirical short read you might enjoy.

Annualy in July Key West holds their Hemmingway look-alike contest



R.I.P.

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