Strange Tribe: A Family Memoir

by John Hemingway

Strange Tribe is a fascinating memoir revealing the peculiar family dynamics between Ernest Hemingway and his youngest son Gregory. Gregory, the author's father, tried to live up to Ernest's “macho” reputation throughout his life. But as a cross-dresser and (eventually) a transsexual, Gregory was obsessed with androgyny and his "female half,” and he struggled with personal demons up until his death in the Women's Correctional Facility of the Miami Dade County Jail in 2001. In this wonderfully crafted narrative, John reveals how Ernest and Gregory (who both suffered from bipolar illness and were both fascinated by androgyny) were “two sides of the same coin.” Featuring several unpublished correspondences between Ernest and Gregory, Strange Tribe is the story of these two men and the surprising similarities between the two.

This is also John's story--about what it was like growing up in Miami and Montana with his father and his schizophrenic mother, and of how it took him years to deal with the pain their illnesses caused him. He also shows how the persona of Ernest Hemingway, the most important literary icon of the past 100 years, continues to loom darkly over the often-troubled lives of his descendants.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Mental Illness

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thesis of the book is that mental problems that plagued the father (surfacing only by his death) begat more overt mental problems of his youngest son, Greg.

The title is taken from Ernest's comment when he discovers Greg as a young boy trying on a pair of nylons. The legendarily macho Ernest is not shocked nor punitive. He merely comments that they are part of a strange tribe suggesting that he recognizes inherited family problems surfacing in his young son.

The author, Greg's son, John, notes some gender bending episodes of his macho grandfather, but is more persuasive in documenting Ernest's bouts of depression and his coldness, and sporadic (but not infrequent) hostility towards Greg.

The book describes the life that mental problems mixed with alcohol force two generations to lead. Parents shirk responsibility moving kids around from one unstable situation to another. John's visit to his father in Montana reminded me of the young Christopher Lawford's visit to his father, Peter, which describes in Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption. In both cases, the child is more mature than the addicted parent and vulnerable because of a need to please a father figure who can never be reached.

The book has universal things to say about mental illness. While the focus is on this famous family, this sort of drama is present throughout society.

[Corto · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Hemingway fan, and wish to preserve whatever image you have of him in your head, don't read this book.

While this book doesn't dismantle the image of Papa Hemingway, it delves deep into the life of his eldest son, Greg - which - is relatively shocking. A writer of Hemingway's stature cast a large shadow, and I wouldn't have wished a filial relationship to him on anyone. And so we have Greg, whose trouble was partially genetic, partially environmental. Beset by Bipolar Disorder, and a worse affliction - trying to grow up and make something out of himself respectable in his father's eyes.

Pretty ugly book, on a couple ugly relationships (Ernest to Greg, Greg to John), and a rough ending.

Tough book. Only read it if you want an unflinching look at the reality of the Hemingway family.

[Renae Hesselink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Papa, Gregory Hemingway's Memoir not that long ago and there were so many unanswered questions. Reading this book by his son, filled in many of the gaps. The Hemingway family was so complicated at so many levels. I find myself really wondering how it all connects from generation to generation of course. I look forward to meeting John and hearing his story in person in a few weeks at a writers retreat and I look forward to reading more about the family from other family members. I read a couple of memoirs by other family members last year also. I think there is a lot we can all learn from the Hemingway family. I thought this was a very easy read and put together very well.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed learning more about Hemingway through this book about his relationship with his child Gregory/Gloria, I found it disheartening. I already knew that Hemingway was not a good husband, but this book also details his failings as a father. But the dysfunction didn't end with him. Gregory seems to have been a fairly rotten parent as well, and his children were unwilling to accept it when their father transitioned and it is evidenced by the way gender identity is discussed in this book.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading James Mellow's detailed account of Hemingway's life, this was a nice quick read. If you are looking for a biography of Hemingway, this is not it. This is the story of his youngest son, as told from the perspective of his grandson, his youngest son's oldest son. (The Hemingway family tree can be confusing.) There is nothing shocking in this version of Ernest Hemingway's life, except that it is surprising to find that his children have endured rough childhoods and even rougher adulthoods. The story is told in a sort of three-way time frame, alternating between events in Ernest's life, events's in Greg Hemingway's life (the son) and events in John Hemingway's life (the grandson) that interconnect with Greg's. In some ways this method makes it disjointed and hard to follow. Although John Hemingway gives general dates, like a year here and there, he isn't very precise with dates and because he bounces from generation to generation, sometimes it can lead to confusion. It's an interesting read, especially some of the assertions he makes about Ernest's last wife, Mary Walsh, and his son' Greg's last wife, Ida Galliher, and the similarities of both men's last years. Also interesting is learning about Ernest's youngest brother and what his life turned out to be like. Anyone who has already read an account of Ernest Hemingway's life and anyone interested in the "Hemingway curse" will enjoy this book.

[HJ Vanny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ernest's youngest son, Gregory, was married four times. The author, John, is the son of Gregory and his second wife, Alice. Alice was schizophrenic and Gregory was bi-polar with cross-dressing tendencies. John's childhood is a horror story but his main purpose in writing this book seems to be to cast aspersions on Ernest and blame him for Gregory's disorders. Based on select letters, John draws dubious conclusions regarding Ernest's sexuality, and repeatedly and unsuccessfully tries to show how alike Ernest and Gregory were. According to John, anyone who refuses to see this is blinded by his/her devotion to Ernest the writer. The other distasteful thing about this book is how Gregory's adult children continued to depend on him financially. John accuses Gregory's fourth wife, Ida, of being a money-grubber and then goes on to justify his asking for money because Gregory gives money to all of his adult children, and Gregory liked being a sugar-daddy. I will conclude with a quote from Ernest's second son, Patrick: "There's a tendency in the public to want to endow all geniuses with some sort of madness." I guess that goes for some grandchildren, too.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

In John Hemingway's memoir, he discusses his father (Gregory)'s relationship with his father, literary genius Ernest Hemingway. His thesis is that the two men had more in common than either would admit. It is at times heartbreaking and at times funny, but always well-written and honest.

I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Hemingway and wants to learn more about the author's family life.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Hemingway is Ernest grandson... John reveals insider information about the Hemingway Bi-polar disorder and how it has adversely effected generations of Hemingways. He reveals information about his relationship with his father (Gregory), mother, uncle (Ernest brother) and his stepmothers. If you are a Hemingway fan it is a must read as it will help you get into the mind of Ernest.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is honest, down to earth,and tells the real story of the Hemingways. I respect John most highly,and he's written an honest book that all Hemingway fans need to experience......

Bravo, John, Bravo!

[Gayle Trotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite not being a fan of Ernest Hemingway, I was drawn to read this book on the recommendation of a fellow writer.

While the timeline and the names can become confusing periodically, the overall attempt to make sense of family history, especially of such a famous family, is riveting.

John Hemingway does an impressive job of creating vivid mental pictures for the reader of his father, Greg Hemingway, and his grandfather, Ernest. John also shares his views of the many women of Greg and Ernest, and their different ways of handling the problematic personalities of Greg and Ernest.

The most interesting part of the book is the author John’s attempts to explain in retrospect his interactions with his mentally ill and unreliable father Greg.

A quick read, it is worth the time to learn how other people process loss and challenge. I gave it only a four star rating because the timeline can be hard to follow at some points in the story.

[Frederick Gault · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the unvarnished story about the life of Gregory Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway's youngest son. The author is Gregory's son. This fills the holes in the incomplete memoir by Gregory entitled PAPA: A PERSONAL MEMOIR. In short, Gregory's life was a mess due to his manic depression. But this book pours gasoline on the coals of the questions about Ernest's undeniable fascination with androgyny. Why? Because Gregory, a cross dresser who had gender reassignment surgery, was probably Ernest's closest child, who, according to Ernest himself belonged to Ernest's "strange tribe".

[Michael Alligood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read; less than a day. The story of Ernest and Greg Hemingway’s life as witnessed by Greg’s oldest son John. The story examines the father/son relationship of Ernest and Greg in comparison to the relationship between Greg and John. The writing is impressive but the story could use a bit more structure as I found it difficult to juggle third-person, to first-person, back to third-person, to even fourth-person storytelling.

[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story tells an absolutely fascinating family history that really helps re-frame many of Ernest Hemingway's stories through a lens of gender and sexuality studies. It is a wonderfully empathetic story written by a son about his parent.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at Gregory Hemingway by his son John Patrick—fascinating!

[Joseph Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome book and provided much insight into the Hemingway family history. A real-page turner. John is a gifted storyteller.

[Casey Schafer]

Interesting read about the Hemingway Family

[Nicolecooks2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

John is a good writer, but the book was difficult to read. Tough subject matter. I wouldn't read if you're a Hemingway fan.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A candid and sometimes heartbreaking look into growing up a Hemingway from 2 generations. You always learn some truths when it comes from the family.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mostly well written, and even if his name had not been Hemingway, it would be an interesting story. The author is Hemingway's grandson, child of Patrick, Ernest's youngest son. Patrick was a bi-polar cross dresser. He was the son of Pauline, Ernest's second wife. Pauline was a a cold bitch. She was also really rich, and left Patrick with a ton of money.

This is a sad story, but also a testament to the the resilience of children--in the midst of mental illness and neglect, the author is remarkably sensible and pretty forgiving. Poor John is living with his kind aunt and uncle in Florida, his mother is nuts, and his father starts another family. John goes to NYC and is turned away by the new wife (who was a baby mama of Brenden Behan).

Ernest H. is one of my literary heroes, I was glad to see him portrayed as pretty decent, but flawed. This book had some mention of the Hemingway brand and how family members lived off it. I remember seeing a furniture advertisement for a Hemingway themed bedroom set.... I think it had an Africa safari tilt. John might be accused of profiting off the family brand also, but I say okay.

[c.vance c.vance · Rating 2 out of 5]

there was an inherent bias in the book: John was trying to make his father's transgendered choices acceptable by trying to claim his grandfather (Ernest) had the same tendencies. yet another in a LONG line of attempts to immasculate Ernie--- only point i found interesting was that the family cut the ending to GARDEN OF EDEN (published some 20 years after Ernie's death, i believe) because the original, they felt, was... well, kinda gay.... or, at least, didn't perpetuate the macho image of Hem that had perpetuated itself by the 80's.

[Terin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The honesty and straightforward discussion of a man's love and experiences with a cross-dressing, manic-depressive father--who happens to be one of the three sons of the enduringly famous for macho Ernest Hemingway--and a schizophrenic mother are painfully and poignantly pure. There appears to me in this book no artifice, no "I must write like my grandfather because I have his genes" affectation or pretense.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading The Sun Also Rises, I decided to read this book to learn a little more about Ernest Hemingway and his family. It was interesting to read, but I felt a little bit like I was spying on a family that had a lot of secrets from each other and the outside world. I guess it made me feel uneasy, and that is why I didn't like it that much.

[Karen Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased a review copy from a used book store somewhere in Boston and expected to hate it. Yet another Hemingway relative oozing his way out from under his rock to make a quick buck. If he had not included actual letters between his father, Gregory, and his grandfather, Ernest, I would have found nothing of interest in the book.

[Carmen Gwazdacz · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting biography written by John Hemmingway, the grandson of Ernest Hemmingway. The author's story is a fresh voice offering further insight into a complicated, talented family dealing with the fall out of emotional and mental disorders. Focusing on the dynamics between Ernest, his youngest son Greg, and Greg's son John, it was really a book about fathers and sons.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange Tribe indeed. This book is written by John Hemingway, son of Gregory Hemingway, son of Ernest Miller Hemingway. If Ernest's odd ideas about androgyny intrigued readers, then Gregory's fulfillment of his father's fascinations predated what we see today in tabloid coverage of Bruce/Caitlyn.
Ultimately, we learn that all the money in the world can't help someone who can't help himself.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in my quest to read all I can about Hemingway, Fitzgerald, the Murphys, and inter-war Paris. (And yet, I have still not read any Hemingway. I wonder about my psyche sometimes, I really do.)

A sad, compelling read. Genetics is a bitch and a half.

[Timothy Street · Rating 1 out of 5]

A personal story by Ernest Hemingway's grandson born in 1960, the book is primarily an account of his problems relating to his father, E.H.'s son Gregory. Not well researched, argued, or documented.

[Pedro Menchén · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro interesantísimo para conocer los entresijos de la familia Hemingway, no tanto del propio escritor como de su hijo Gregory y de su nieto John, autor de la obra. Está muy bien escrito y se percibe objetividad, rigor y honestidad en el análisis. Muy recomendable.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those interested in Hemingway. A son's memoir of his father, Ernest Hemingway's youngest cross-dressing transsexual son.

[Melissa]

Own (thanks Anne)