Ernest Hemingway, one of the most acclaimed American novelists and short-story writers of the 20th century, is renowned for his terse and direct prose style and his adventurous life, which often informed his works. Born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, Hemingway's early experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I are mirrored in his novel "A Farewell to Arms." His time in Paris in the 1920s as part of the "Lost Generation," and his exploits in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and in Africa on safari also heavily influenced his writing. Some of his other famous works include "The Sun Also Rises," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and "The Old Man and the Sea," the latter of which won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1953, followed by the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
❝There is no friend as loyal as a book.❞ — Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway's fondness for reading was well-known, with his reading interests as robust and wide-ranging as his lifestyles. He was an avid reader of classic literature, poetry, and contemporary works, and he believed in the fundamental importance of reading for any writer. Hemingway often emphasized the need for writers to be well-versed in the literature of their predecessors and contemporaries, seeing this as crucial to honing their craft. His personal library included works by Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Flaubert, reflecting his respect for their literary techniques and their influence on his own style.
Ernest Hemingway's Favorite Books
Last Updated: June 2024
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The Gambler
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Publisher: Independently published
Date: Nov 9th, 2021
Written under financial pressure, Dostoevsky's novel is a psychological exploration of the compulsive gambling Dostoevsky himself struggled with, portrayed through the character of Alexei, who falls in love with Polina, a woman equally trapped in the destructive world of roulette.
Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Brontë
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date: Dec 31st, 2002
Brontë's only novel is a dark, passionate tale of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, set against the moody backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring themes of vengeance, social class, and the supernatural.
Joseph Andrews and Shamela
Author: Henry Fielding
Publisher: SMK Books
Date: Apr 3rd, 2018
This novel presents a satirical look at contemporary novels of virtue and chastity through the adventures of Joseph Andrews, who starts as a footman and travels home to find his beloved, paralleled with "Shamela," a parody of Samuel Richardson's "Pamela," where Fielding humorously exposes the novel's moral pretensions.
War and Peace
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Publisher: Vintage
Date: Dec 2nd, 2008
Leo Tolstoy's epic novel set against the backdrop of Napoleon's invasion of Russia explores the impact of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society through the interconnected lives of four aristocratic families, blending a meticulous historical study with deeper philosophical issues.
The Portrait of a Lady
Author: Henry James
Publisher: Xist Classics
Date: Sep 28th, 2015
James's novel follows the spirited young American, Isabel Archer, who inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes entangled in disastrous romantic and personal relationships, ultimately confronting the limitations of her freedom.
Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family
Author: Thomas Mann
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Date: Oct 4th, 1994
This novel chronicles the multigenerational saga of the Buddenbrook family and their declining fortune, exploring the interplay between personal aspirations and societal expectations in 19th-century Germany.
Selected Poems of Luis de Góngora
Author: Luis de Góngora
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: May 1st, 2007
A selection of works by one of the most significant Spanish Baroque poets, known for his complex, elaborate style and his influence on the Spanish literature of the Golden Age.
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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Author: Mark Twain
Publisher: Dover Publications
Date: May 26th, 1994
Twain's seminal work chronicles the adventures of young Huck Finn and a runaway slave named Jim as they escape down the Mississippi River, confronting societal prejudices and forging a deep bond amidst their escapades.
The Brothers Karamazov
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Date: Jun 14th, 2002
This profound novel delves into the lives of the Karamazov family, focusing on their internal moral struggles, profound philosophical dialogues, and the search for faith and meaning amidst personal tragedy.
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The Common Reader
Author: Virginia Woolf
Publisher: Mariner Books Classics
Date: Nov 4th, 2002
This collection of essays by Woolf features her critiques and reviews of literature, providing insights into her reading philosophy and literary preferences, which emphasize the common experience of reading accessible to all.
La Maison Tellier
Author: Guy De Maupassant
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Date: Sep 10th, 2010
A collection of short stories, the title story follows the madam of a small-town brothel who takes her employees on an outing to the countryside for a communion, exploring themes of hypocrisy, morality, and the contrasts between rural and urban life.
The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
Author: Stephen Crane
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Date: Nov 6th, 2013
Based on Crane's own experience of surviving a shipwreck, this poignant naturalist story details the struggles of four men in a lifeboat battling the sea's wrath, highlighting their collective fight against nature's indifference to human suffering.
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Peter Simple
Author: Frederick Marryat
Publisher: Independently published
Date: Apr 15th, 2022
Marryat's comedic novel follows the naive Peter Simple as he joins the Royal Navy and stumbles through various adventures, learning about life and the world through his interactions and misfortunes.
The Complete Poems of San Juan de la Cruz
Author: María Baranda
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Date: Apr 13th, 2021
This collection captures the mystical poetry of San Juan de la Cruz (St. John of the Cross), offering profound insights into his deep spiritual experiences and explorations of the soul's union with God.
King Lear
Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher: Royal Publisher
Date: Aug 4th, 2023
This tragic play tells the story of Lear, an aging king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on who loves him most, leading to betrayal, madness, and profound tragedy.
Tom Jones
Author: Henry Fielding
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Date: Nov 26th, 1991
This picaresque novel follows the life of the foundling Tom Jones as he navigates a series of romantic adventures and misadventures through the English countryside, ultimately seeking redemption and his true identity.
The Enormous Room
Author: E E 1894-1962 Cummings
Publisher: Legare Street Press
Date: Oct 26th, 2022
Cummings' autobiographical novel, based on his experiences as a detainee in a French internment camp during World War I, combines surreal and grotesque satire with his distinctive poetic prose to critique arbitrary authority and celebrate personal resilience.
Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date: May 1st, 2004
Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece traces the tragic love affair between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Russian society, exploring themes of passion, loyalty, and societal norms.
Kim
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Date: Dec 5th, 1999
This novel follows the orphaned son of a British soldier growing up in India, who becomes embroiled in "The Great Game," the espionage conflict between Britain and Russia in Central Asia, exploring themes of identity and belonging.
The Naval Officer
Author: Frank Mildmay Frederick Marryat
Publisher: Legare Street Press
Date: Oct 27th, 2022
Based partly on Marryat's own experiences, this novel details the life and career of Frank Mildmay as he progresses through the ranks of the British Navy, facing battles, duels, and romantic entanglements.
La Reine Margot
Author: Alexandre Dumas
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: Apr 15th, 2009
Set against the backdrop of the French Wars of Religion, this historical novel follows Marguerite de Valois, known as Margot, and her tumultuous life involving political intrigue, forbidden love, and family betrayals during one of France's darkest periods.
The American
Author: Henry James
Publisher: Independently published
Date: Nov 11th, 2021
This novel tells the story of Christopher Newman, a wealthy American businessman who ventures to Europe to enter its social circles and navigates the complexities of aristocratic society with varying degrees of naivety and sophistication.
The Red And The Black
Author: Stendhal
Publisher: Independently published
Date: Nov 24th, 2023
This psychological novel follows Julien Sorel's attempts to rise above his humble beginnings through manipulation and deceit in a society riddled with social hypocrisies and class warfare, offering a satirical take on French society during the Restoration.