Death of a popular poet.... Actually author

[CrznDnUS1]

I was just wondering if anyone here knew the somewhat truth. I was reading something recently about Hemingway which said that he shot himself because he had nothing left to write about, but I am not sure that is so true. I was watching a show about the category 5 hurricane of '30's which killed some 300 people in the Florida Keys mainly due to the mistakes of the feds. After the storm Hemingway took his boat out there to help the survivors and he was furious at the U.S. government about the way they handled the whole situation. Having to write about it, there was no one who wanted to take his story so he sold it to a communist paper. With that said, he killed himself I think in 1961. Is it possible that he committed suicide due to the fact that he might have been blacklisted? Just a thought.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

He committed suicide in large part because he'd been treated for depression with shock treatments that left him unable to write...

[RinglingRingling]

I was just wondering if anyone here knew the somewhat truth. I was reading something recently about Hemmingway which said that he shot himself because he had nothing left to write about, but I am not sure that is so true. I was watching a show about the category 5 hurricane of '30's which killed some 300 people in the Florida Keys mainly due to the mistakes of the feds. After the storm Hemmingway took his boat out there to help the survivors and he was furious at the U.S. government about the way they handled the whole situation. Having to write about it, there was no one who wanted to take his story so he sold it to a communist paper. With that said, he killed himself I think in 1961. Is it possible that he committed suicide due to the fact that he might have been blacklisted? Just a thought.

the 1935 hurricane? he was still writing after that. I honestly doubt that McCarthy at his best would have been able to get him blacklisted

[CrznDnUS1]

I was just wondering if anyone here knew the somewhat truth. I was reading something recently about Hemmingway which said that he shot himself because he had nothing left to write about, but I am not sure that is so true. I was watching a show about the category 5 hurricane of '30's which killed some 300 people in the Florida Keys mainly due to the mistakes of the feds. After the storm Hemmingway took his boat out there to help the survivors and he was furious at the U.S. government about the way they handled the whole situation. Having to write about it, there was no one who wanted to take his story so he sold it to a communist paper. With that said, he killed himself I think in 1961. Is it possible that he committed suicide due to the fact that he might have been blacklisted? Just a thought.

the 1935 hurricane? he was still writing after that. I honestly doubt that McCarthy at his best would have been able to get him blacklisted

I understand that he was writing well after '35 but seeing how he wrote for a communist paper the McCarthy thing would make sence. And the dates also fit. I think McCarthy blacklisted people bigger than Hemingway, but I could be wrong. But the shock treatment angle seems to sound logical, what I saw said he couldn't write, not didn't want to write.

[Cubbie Bear]

From what i have read, I think he would have taken a "black list" as a badge of honor and not being on a "list" as a terrible slight

[ph4ever]

He committed suicide in large part because he'd been treated for depression with shock treatments that left him unable to write...

That's what I thought

[CrznDnUS1]

Since I am on the subject. I have read "To Have And Have Not" and am currently reading "Islands In The Stream" are there any other of his books which might have something to do with the keys? Although the latter isn't really about the keys. At least not the part I am up to.

[RinglingRingling]

I was just wondering if anyone here knew the somewhat truth. I was reading something recently about Hemmingway which said that he shot himself because he had nothing left to write about, but I am not sure that is so true. I was watching a show about the category 5 hurricane of '30's which killed some 300 people in the Florida Keys mainly due to the mistakes of the feds. After the storm Hemmingway took his boat out there to help the survivors and he was furious at the U.S. government about the way they handled the whole situation. Having to write about it, there was no one who wanted to take his story so he sold it to a communist paper. With that said, he killed himself I think in 1961. Is it possible that he committed suicide due to the fact that he might have been blacklisted? Just a thought.

the 1935 hurricane? he was still writing after that. I honestly doubt that McCarthy at his best would have been able to get him blacklisted

I understand that he was writing well after '35 but seeing how he wrote for a communist paper the McCarthy thing would make sence. And the dates also fit. I think McCarthy blacklisted people bigger than Hemmingway, but I could be wrong. But the shock treatment angle seems to sound logical, what I saw said he couldn't write, not didn't want to write.

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either. As for blacklisting folks bigger than Hemingway, I'd be hard-pressed to name one.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either.

He also apparently suffered from Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), or Iron Overload Disease. It's a genetic defect that causes too much iron to be stored in your tissues, causing heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, serious depression, etc. There was no treatment back then (and the only treatment now is frequently giving blood). Without treatment, HH will totally screw up your body before it kills you in a most unpleasant manner.....

[RinglingRingling]

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either.

He also apparently suffered from Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), or Iron Overload Disease. It's a genetic defect that causes too much iron to be stored in your tissues, causing heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, serious depression, etc. There was no treatment back then (and the only treatment now is frequently giving blood). Without treatment, HH will totally screw up your body before it kills you in a most unpleasant manner.....

nowadays it probably makes the TSA look at you funny...

[CrznDnUS1]

As for blacklisting folks bigger than Hemingway, I'd be hard-pressed to name one.

OK, OK, I take it you really respect the guy. Being only 1 year old at the time I really don't remember it that well.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either.

He also apparently suffered from Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), or Iron Overload Disease. It's a genetic defect that causes too much iron to be stored in your tissues, causing heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, serious depression, etc. There was no treatment back then (and the only treatment now is frequently giving blood). Without treatment, HH will totally screw up your body before it kills you in a most unpleasant manner.....

nowadays it probably makes the TSA look at you funny...

It used to be a family joke that my uncle set off metal detectors, until we found out that he was dying from HH and all the rest of us either have the disease or are carriers of the defective gene.....

[RinglingRingling]

As for blacklisting folks bigger than Hemingway, I'd be hard-pressed to name one.

OK, OK, I take it you really respect the guy. Being only 1 year old at the time I really don't remember it that well.

it's not that. I honestly don't know anyone who was bigger, for longer, who would fit the bill for blacklisting and having the impact. Most of the blacklisted folks were (as I remember the history) mid-to-low-level actors/actresses, and screenwriters rather than authors, and if authors, not the ones with a large body of work like Hemingway's. Hemingway would probably have had drinks with McCarthy, but I don't think the latter would have had the ability to do a number on Hemingway.

As a human being, Hemingway had some personality flaws that left a bit to be desired in my book.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

As a human being, Hemingway had some personality flaws that left a bit to be desired in my book.

Not to beat a dead horse, but high levels of iron will screw with your brain enough to make you a sometimes VERY unpleasant person to be around..... I've often wondered if that wasn't at the root of some of Hemingway's quirks...

[carolinagirl]

East Texas Parrothead is the resident EXPERT on Hemingway...
Maybe she'll weigh in here, but I'd say your theory doesn't hold water.

I've read many biographies of Hemingway, and none mentioned him being blacklisted. As Cubbie Bear said, he'd have worn that as a badge of honor, since he hung out with the expatriots in Paris and virtually created the name for them.

I've read another book about that hurricane, written by a woman who lived through it. She and her husband were were living on a key north of Key Largo. It's a very interesting account, and a woman on Duval Street told my mom she made her think of the author, so that's why I had to by it. I think it's Charlotte's Story, but I'll have to check.

[RinglingRingling]

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either.

He also apparently suffered from Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), or Iron Overload Disease. It's a genetic defect that causes too much iron to be stored in your tissues, causing heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, serious depression, etc. There was no treatment back then (and the only treatment now is frequently giving blood). Without treatment, HH will totally screw up your body before it kills you in a most unpleasant manner.....

nowadays it probably makes the TSA look at you funny...

It used to be a family joke that my uncle set off metal detectors, until we found out that he was dying from HH and all the rest of us either have the disease or are carriers of the defective gene.....

I honestly did not know that.

[CrznDnUS1]

Now that I think of it he probably would have worn it as a badge of honor and just hung out in Paris. It really wan't a theory but simply a question of someone who is not so knowledgable on Hemingway. And RR his lifestyles leave much to be said for.

[OystersandBeer]

Now that I think of it he probably would have worn it as a badge of honor and just hung out in Paris. It really wan't a theory but simply a question of someone who is not so knowledgable on Hemingway. And RR his lifestyles leave much to be said for.

Check out his biography Life Without Consequences or the Letters edited by Carlos Baker. I read them both together to see how they matched up and it was great. I agree with the statement above that it was the shock treatment that screwed him up.

[rogue]

I had a teacher in high school who idealized Hemingway. He had us read several of Hemingway's short and abridged stories. I don't remember alot of what Mr. Richardson said but I seem to remember that Hemingway tried several times through out his life to commit suicide. Mr. Richardson always suspected/felt that he had finally hurt himself beyond physical salvation.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

and his depressions weren't exactly the "pop a single prozac and you'll be fine" type either.

He also apparently suffered from Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH), or Iron Overload Disease. It's a genetic defect that causes too much iron to be stored in your tissues, causing heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, serious depression, etc. There was no treatment back then (and the only treatment now is frequently giving blood). Without treatment, HH will totally screw up your body before it kills you in a most unpleasant manner.....

nowadays it probably makes the TSA look at you funny...

It used to be a family joke that my uncle set off metal detectors, until we found out that he was dying from HH and all the rest of us either have the disease or are carriers of the defective gene.....

I honestly did not know that.

I figured you didn't... Hey, we used to joke about it before we knew....