The Green Hills
of Africa by Ernest Hemingway
This is book is
on the list of books recommended by members of the CMA listserv as a book that
all journalists should read under the heading “anything by Ernest Hemingway.” A
note: I am not an Ernest Hemingway fan, but in this case, I would agree: The
Green Hills of Africa is definitely a must read.
Hemingway’s direct description, tight writing and thorough
storytelling make this book a good example of travel reportage.
Many years ago, I read
Death in the Afternoon by Hemingway for a Spanish class. I found it to
be tiresome with its minute details about each bull. I also found the
bloodsport associated with bullfighting to be personally repulsive. It didn’t
keep me from seeing a bullfight myself, however.
The Green Hills of Africa, which details Hemingway’s game
hunting trip, contains some of the same bloodsport, so if you can’t stomach
hunting, this book isn’t for you. But unlike Death in the Afternoon, there are
aspects of The Green Hills of Africa that provide descriptive and captivating prose
about Africa, wild animals and the trackers who help Hemingway and his wife
throughout their hunting travels.
It is clear in this book that Hemingway’s drinking is
problematic, but this isn’t the only book where alcohol consumption is also a
major part of the drama.
Hemingway as a character is no more or less developed than many
of his characters in his foray into fiction. You do get a sense of Hemingway’s
love of hunting in his description of this and other hunts.
Overall, this book can offer the reader great lessons in
writing—clearly stringing words together to make short, simple yet not
simplistic sentences and paragraphs, and how to weave details and description
into a story.
As always, it’s Hemingway’s clipped writing style that prevails
moving the storyline forward at a good pace but never hurrying the action. To
see how a writer can accomplish that is worth the read.
Up next, Chip
and Dan Heath’s Made to Stick.
