I Killed Hemingway

by William McCranor Henderson

When a derelict living in Key West surfaces with an unbelievable story about the fate of Ernest Hemingway, publisher Warren & Dudge sends literary hack Elliot McGuire to bring back a manuscript. By the author of Stark Raving Elvis.

Genres: Fiction

313 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Judi]

This past week I was looking at the entries under alt.book.reviews and there was an intriguing question about books that people have purchased based on the title alone especially those books in which the title was even more appropriate after the book was read. I would have to say that I Killed Hemingway is the perfect example for this exercise. The title for this book works on at least three levels, two of which are obvious and the last you have to finish 9)he book to understand.

Our narrator, Elliot McGuire, is about to turn forty and has been supporting himself through writing biographies. Twenty years earlier, McGuire was expected to be the new authoritative biographer of Hemingway's life. But after only one book, he destroys any chance of ever having respect by the "HA-HA" society (Hemingway Association) again. Of course the reason he was driven to write about Hemingway is his own childhood belief that he killed Hemingway since Hemingway committed suicide three days after receiving scalding correspondence from him.

From writing biographies, McGuire has developed this (overly) intellectual new age kind of theory of "LifeForms" and how people can learn to see them and change their own to live a longer, happier life. (Of course, McGuire can't get his own LifeForm in shape.) Meanwhile, Elliot is hired by his friend Craig, who's in the publishing business, to check out a guy named Eric Markham in Key West who claims to have killed Ernest Hemingway and has written a book about himself and Hemingway in Paris in the 1920s. Elliot accepts the job because he needs to pay rent and believes this will give LifeForms a better chance at the publisher. So he goes to Key West to meet Eric "Pappy" Markham and quickly finds out that there is no transcript and is sucked into ghostwriting for this Key West crazy.

I Killed Hemingway hits at the fear of growing old, if not death itself, as well as a good poke at how Americans will jump at any sordid form of entertainment including biographies and day time talk shows. All in all this is an inventive and humorously provocative tale. (199)

[Rosanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read that I missed when it came out. Given the changes in the publishing industry I wonder if it would even work today. But the general theme of what stories are true and does it even matter is completely relavant.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Danette Baltzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our main man, one Elliot McGuire, is assigned to check out a claim put forward by a man known as 'Pappy' Markham that he not only knew Hemingway but was, in fact, his murderer. Recognizing that this revelation would rock the literary world, McGuire heads to Key West to check out the story for the publisher who is interested in publishing the man's memoir. Ostensibly our man is fact checking, in reality he's doing little more than rubber stamping the project. Roped in to the intrigue, McGuire lends his hand to the telling of the tale, only to find himself readdressing a past he'd thought he buried.

Henderson's story is compelling, keeping readers en rapt with details from Hemingway's life as they are being retold by the irascible Pappy. Character's names are drawn from Hemingway's history- i.e. McGuire's love interest's first name is Lyn- a reference to the biographer Kennith Lynn. Although the final chapters are rushed and ridiculous, the preceding 250 pages are worth the price of admission and readers may find themselves drawn into the real life drama of Hemingway once the final curtain is drawn.

[Lana. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wild look into the mind of obsession.

Elliot McGuire a writer with great plans to launch a new age life management system (Life Forms) is stuck ghosting biographies for the not very rich or famous. Life hums along (in a dreary kind of way), when his publisher asks him to investigate the incredible: Someone has written a confession to killing Hemmingway. This pulls Elliot back into the Hemmingway world, where he was once a star scholar.

Definitely an interesting and suspenseful read, which asks one to consider what one can believe. Between the ranting and raving of the narrator, and the sad people in the story, it's all just a bit too disturbing for my tastes.

[untogether · Rating 2 out of 5]

I killed Hemingway by William McCranor Henderson (1995)

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of cool.

[Stephan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purchased for $1. Interesting read.