Beschreibung:

HEMINGWAY, ERNEST. One autograph letter signed and three typed letters signed to Edna Gellhorn ("Dear Mother"), probably all from Finca Vigia, San Francisco de Paula, Cuba, n.d. [1939? 1940?], 24 February 1944 and 5 August 1946. Together 4 pages, 4to, the ALS on imprinted Finca Vigia letterhead and signed "Ernest E. Hemingway," the TLSs single-spaced (one with a 68-word holograph postscript in ink) and signed "Ernest" (one in pencil), usual fold creases, one letter on inexpensive tan paper, a slight marginal paper-clip stain. "IN A GOOD BOOK YOU LIVE COMPLETELY IN THE WORLD YOU ARE CREATING" [1939? 1940?]: "...We haven't enought of our lives left to all be apart so much so please come [down to Cuba] and we will make a big celebration. There are lots of good new books and it is ideal here now...Marty is fine. It has taken her a little while to start to really relax from going at such a speed but she is doing it now and everything is all straight and clear and she has no worries. She is much healthier than she ever was and strong as airplane fabric...she has learned to shoot and loves it and hunts all over the country by herself while I am writing and brings back game that we can eat...it certainly is fun for me to have a hunting partner and wife both. Book [ For Whom the Bell Tolls , published October 1940] has gone fine lately. Averaged 700 words a day week before last and last week wrote 4700 words. Am trying to keep it good and sound and not let anything worry..." [1940?]: "...Martha was simply lovely with the children; simple and natural and unworried and good. They loved her. Bumby [his eldest son] loves her too. At the Jai-Alai game they looked like brother and sister...he and Marty get on fine and solid with a great deal of admiration on each side for what the other one looks like. Marty says looking at the Bumby makes her happy. It seems she has always liked to look at beautiful objects or something along that line. So I say, sure, look at the Bumby because he is handsome. But sleep with Hideous Pugly. I've had quite a beating one way and another and am haveing [sic] a hard time getting going on the book [ For Whom the Bell Tolls ] again. But will because I have to. Will get good exercise and not worry and then slide into it again. In a good book you live completely in the world you are creating. You can only stand a certain amount of the outside world; not to worry; just decisions you have to make, problems, things to answer etc. You have to be very intelligently selfish to ever get a good book written. Hope now I can get back into that. I was working eighteen and one day 22 hours steady for a while and now I am still tired...every time I see Marty, or hear her voice, or hear her thunder feet approaching I am so truly happy and I know how lucky we are to be happy that way, and never to be bored alone together. Anything we have to go through is worth it when we have that. Only we must always each be very careful of the other. It will be good luck when this book is finished. And it will be wonderful when you are here again. Because you are our north star like a compass to show how fine and happy two people can be together when they truly love each other." 24 February 1944: "...Still no word from our beloved Marty [who was covering the war in Europe]. I cabled her twice 16 and 18 days ago that I couldn't come over now and advising her to come home as she had planned and get some sun...and I would go back with her or join her. But no word...Marty's book [ Liana ] has had wonderful reviews all over the country. Several say she is a better writer than me which should please her..." 5 August 1946: "Am very ashamed not to have written to answer your fine letter. It came just when had shipped Marty's silver, china etc. and I got into a terrible spate of work with visitors takeing [sic] up spare time after work and never answered...Hope you're fine and that all your children and grand-children are too. The boys are out west a