The Istoriaphile’s Corner

A friend of mine just took a brain-killer of a test, one those exams smart people study for and still flunk.  None of the test is easy but she dreaded the essay portion.  These essays test a student’s knowledge of the subject and his/her ability to communicate on paper.  My friend put a great deal of time and effort into her preparation and I won’t be surprised when she passes but the only advice I could offer on the essay part was, “Write Like Hemingway.” Of course I didn’t mean she should write about hunting big game or creating a reason to live.  (Frankly, Ernest’s, machismo and existential angst is part of what sours me on his novels.  Half the time I want to yell at him to drop the attitude and pick up the baby – nothing cures existential woes like caring for somebody else.)  No, I admire Hemingway’s style, how he stitched together phrases and words.  If I didn’t like everything he had to say, I still love the way he said it.Direct, the man was direct.  Hemingway started out as a journalist, wedded to the simple sentence and the fewest details that paint a picture.  This excerpt for his…