BOOKS: Moveable Feast Restored Edition

Paris in the 1920’s__zenith of the modern artistic expatriate scene__ some of the greatest modern painters, poets and writers all in one place, many American and many knowing each other and forming a society that would give birth to a new and highly respected American literature. Ernest Hemingway labored here in a garret forging a new style of American prose that still influences writers today. In 1964 Hemingway wrote, but did not finish because of his death, the “Moveable Feast,” a memoir of his days in Paris that evokes the atmosphere and mood Paris after WWI. The book was published posthumously and edited by Hemingway’s forth and last wife, Mary. This is the highly respected version that the public has come to known. In July 2009, Scribner the original publisher released what they call a new “Restored Edition.” Included is a new unpublished chapter called “Additional Paris Sketches.” That’s a good thing anything new and unpublished by Hemingway is welcome, however, this new edition is edited by Hemingway’s grandson, Sean Hemingway: and there in lies the rub. Is this new edition the product of a Hemingway Family feud? (see: New York Times op-ed, July 20. 2009) In the introduction of the “Restored Edition” Sean states: "The extensive edits Mary Hemingway made to this text seem to have served her own personal relationship with the writer as his fourth and final wife, rather than the interests of the book, or of the author, who comes across in the posthumous first edition as something of an unknowing victim, which he clearly was not." Since the book was published after Hemingway’s death we really can’t be sure what version Hemingway desired. Mary did extensive editing after Hemingway’s death and that is the version that has become a literary classic. This new version omits the last essay, “There is Never an End to Paris.” Sean Hemingway claims this chapter was cobbled together and created by Mary Hemingway. In addition this version adds: “The Pilot Fish and the Rich,” and nine other small essays. But these are troubling edits to the text, which Sean admits are meant to paint his grandmother and Hemingway’s second wife in a better light. Hmm. Well__ my advice is to read both versions, we will never know for sure which is more true. I prefer the first. But putting the motivations of Hemingway’s heirs aside, “Moveable Feast” is still an American literary classic and serves Hemingway’s purpose of evoking Paris in the 1920’s.