The Garden of Eden

I like to read. It is my favorite way to fall asleep......please don't get me wrong, I like to read.

Last night I finished reading Ernest Hemingway's final piece of unfinished literature The Garden of Eden. The book revolves around the relationships of 3 individuals and how their lives become entangled then very twisted. Like all Hemingway books, his writing of dialogue and his ability to step deep into the minds of his characters makes this book a very quick read.

His subject matter was different from his other books I have read and threw me for quite a loop. I was unprepared for the non-graphic unpacking of the main characters' intimate relationships and their acts of manipulation. Also this book lacked what I enjoyed most about his other novels, Toreadors and war. In turn, it only highlighted a short fishing and hunting trip. In opinion, Hemingway's intent was simply to illustrate the complexities of human relationships.

The book was good. It was a side of Hemingway I had not grasped in his other novels. I am sure what came to the forefront in The Garden of Eden resides behind the bullfights and gun fodder of his others. I will read him differently.