Between 1925 and 1933, Ernest Hemingway published sixteen stories about a character he called Nick Adams. Appearing in various collections and arranged in no particular time sequence, the narratives appeared disconnected and incomplete. In 1972, after Hemingway’s death, the stories were collected, arranged in the chronological order of Adams’ life, and augmented with eight unpublished fragments found after Hemingway’s death. From this reorganization emerged a coherent picture of Nick’s life from his boyhood in upper Michigan through his adult experiences. Nick Adams’ life runs parallel to Hemingway’s life.
I’d like to give credit to the person who wrote that, but no name was given. Pretty much sums up this collection of short stories.
From high school through college I read about a half dozen books by Hemingway. I also recall reading Big Two-Hearted River. Since college, I haven’t read anything by Hemingway.
Last year, just for the hell of it, I did a search on Big Two-Hearted River and found it online. Over the years I’ve lost the interest and ability to read novels. Virtually every book I’ve bought in the last twenty years has been collections of short stories. I knew there were other Nick Adams stories out there and a search got me to The Nick Adams Stories. A hint to my oldest daughter before Christmas resulted in getting the book.
While studying art in college I did a lot of reading on early 20th Century artists and writers. One of my other favorite writers from that time was Gertrude Stein. I like the short, clipped sentences used by both of them and at times it’s hard to tell the two apart. There’s something I find appealing in such direct sentences.
I was disappointed when I got to the end of The Nick Adams Stories. I wanted more. I know the other Hemingway books I’ve read are basically the same Adams character with a different name, but I’m not up for reading a novel. Especially one I’ve read before, even if it was 35 years ago. I wanted more of these short, tight little stories.
I’m sure this book is old news to many, but then, like me, there are probably others out there over 50 that may not know about all of the Nick Adams stories. I’m sure there are some kids out there that know even less than me. To those, I highly recommend you go read these stories.
Howard Levett
21 Feb 2013I have always loved Hemingway. My wife gave me a copy of Hemingway on Fishing 13 years ago that I keep next to my bed. It’s mostly a collection of stories he wrote for Esquire Magazine plus many others.
Ken G
22 Feb 2013Howard, I’ve thought of getting that collection. I seem to read in waves and I’m on a Hemingway wave at the moment.
Dan
22 Feb 2013I’m 22, and I’ll say that Hemingway is easily in my top two favorite writers, if not #1. I read Big Two Hearted River about twice a year. Fantastic.
Try finding “The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway”. It’s got all the short stories he’s written, and it’s on of my favorite books on my bookshelf.
I never got around to reading “The Nick Adams Stories”, but have always wanted to track it down.
Dan
22 Feb 2013Oh, how could I forget? “In Our Time” is a collection of shorts by Hemingway, the book in which “Two Hearted River originally appeared. If I had to pick an absolute favorite original publication by Hemingway, “In Our Time” would be it.
Ken G
22 Feb 2013I’m going to have to get those for my collection Dan. Favorite thing to do during the warmer months, when not fishing of course, is to sit around out on the deck reading. That’s better with a good book.
That young and enjoying Hemingway? 🙂 I’m impressed.
Walt
23 Feb 2013Ken,
I’ll vouch for “The Complete Short Stories” volume, archetypal literature for the outdoor buff. The Nick stories drew me into the UP once.
Ken G
23 Feb 2013I have a long list of books I want to get this year Walt, for those times when reading on screen is annoying my eyes.
John D. Voelker has been on that list for awhile.