About the book
In Hemingway’s Art of Revision, John Beall analyzes more than a dozen pieces of the author’s celebrated short fiction, with a focus on manuscripts and typescripts, as part of a broader examination of how Ernest Hemingway crafted his distinctive prose through a rigorous process of revision.
Ranging from two vignettes in the first version of In Our Time through early touchstones such as “Indian Camp” and “The Killers” to later masterpieces including “Fathers and Sons,” Beall’s study considers the modernist influences, aesthetic choices, and experimental effects that characterized Hemingway’s approach to the short story. Revisions to “Big Two-Hearted River,” for example, were not simply cuts and omissions, but involved adding paragraphs to slow down the narrative and represent Nick Adams’s careful observations of fish as he watched their shadows on the river. For “A Way You’ll Never Be,” Hemingway’s revisions developed Nick’s interior monologues, manic lecture about grasshoppers, and wacky sense of humor to show the character restoring a sense of emotional balance despite his traumatic memories of being wounded.
By drawing attention to the meticulous omissions, additions, and replacements that shaped these texts, Beall reveals how extensively and richly Hemingway revised his drafts. Hemingway’s Art of Revision gives a detailed view of a great prose stylist at work.
Editions of Hemingway's Art of Revision
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807181157
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807182239
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807182253
- PDF
- ISBN 9780807182246
Read an Excerpt
In Hemingway’s Art of Revision, John Beall analyzes more than a dozen pieces of the author’s celebrated short fiction, with a focus on manuscripts and typescripts, as part of a broader examination of how Ernest Hemingway crafted his distinctive prose through a rigorous process of revision.
Ranging from two vignettes in the first version of In Our Time through early touchstones such as “Indian Camp” and “The Killers” to later masterpieces including “Fathers and Sons,” Beall’s study considers the modernist influences, aesthetic choices, and experimental effects that characterized Hemingway’s approach to the short story. Revisions to “Big Two-Hearted River,” for example, were not simply cuts and omissions, but involved adding paragraphs to slow down the narrative and represent Nick Adams’s careful observations of fish as he watched their shadows on the river. For “A Way You’ll Never Be,” Hemingway’s revisions developed Nick’s interior monologues, manic lecture about grasshoppers, and wacky sense of humor to show the character restoring a sense of emotional balance despite his traumatic memories of being wounded.
By drawing attention to the meticulous omissions, additions, and replacements that shaped these texts, Beall reveals how extensively and richly Hemingway revised his drafts. Hemingway’s Art of Revision gives a detailed view of a great prose stylist at work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hemingway's Art of Revision about?
In Hemingway’s Art of Revision, John Beall analyzes more than a dozen pieces of the author’s celebrated short fiction, with a focus on manuscripts and typescripts, as part of a broader examination of how Ernest Hemingway crafted his distinctive prose through a rigorous process of revision.
Ranging from two vignettes in the first version of In Our Time through early touchstones such as “Indian Camp” and “The Killers” to later masterpieces including “Fathers and Sons,” Beall’s study considers the modernist influences, aesthetic choices, and experimental effects that characterized Hemingway’s approach to the short story. Revisions to “Big Two-Hearted River,” for example, were not simply cuts and omissions, but involved adding paragraphs to slow down the narrative and represent Nick Adams’s careful observations of fish as he watched their shadows on the river. For “A Way You’ll Never Be,” Hemingway’s revisions developed Nick’s interior monologues, manic lecture about grasshoppers, and wacky sense of humor to show the character restoring a sense of emotional balance despite his traumatic memories of being wounded.
By drawing attention to the meticulous omissions, additions, and replacements that shaped these texts, Beall reveals how extensively and richly Hemingway revised his drafts. Hemingway’s Art of Revision gives a detailed view of a great prose stylist at work.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Hemingway's Art of Revision?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers
Where can I read a sample of Hemingway's Art of Revision?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807181157
How long is Hemingway's Art of Revision and how many pages does it have?
Hemingway's Art of Revision has 310 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Hemingway's Art of Revision?
John Beall
Who is the Publisher of the book Hemingway's Art of Revision?
LSU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Hemingway's Art of Revision is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807181157) and hardcover(ISBN 9780807182239) and paperback(ISBN 9780807182253) and pdf(ISBN 9780807182246)
Where can I buy Hemingway's Art of Revision online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Hemingway's Art of Revision from below
Where can I buy Hemingway's Art of Revision?