I had the weirdest dream the other night.
I met Ernest Hemingway at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. In 1925. He kept saying to me: “If you want to hear my story, just call me…”
He told me a strange phone number, and as soon as I woke up, I dialled the unusual collection of digits.
Imagine my surprise when a gruff voice answered on the other side….
Yes, today’s podcast episode is a chat with Ernest Hemingway in 1925. He would have been 25ish years old, and looked like the passport picture of his above, top left (from two years previously).
To catch you up to speed, at the time of our chat, this was just before he’d published his first book, The Sun Also Rises. When he was hanging out in Montparnasse with Pablo Picasso and F Scott Fitzgerald. And not long after he survived the Spanish Flu pandemic. I asked him about it all.
Anyway, I won’t spoil the episode. Listen below. Things are a bit too serious right now for April Fools jokes, but I figured you guys would enjoy a very different episode for a change. Oh yes, and strap in tight, this is a wild ride.
Many thanks to my good friend Samuel Lopez-Barrantes who gave us a voice of reason at the end of the episode, and who gives Hemingway tours around Paris if you’re ever keen to know more. Find him here.
Lastly, sign up on Patreon if you enjoy The Earful Tower so much that you think it’s worth paying to support 🙂
PS: If I stumbled upon this magical time portal again, who would you like to hear on the other side of the telephone line? Leave a comment below.
UPDATE: I met with Hemingway at Midnight for a walk, watch it here:
Very eerily entertaining. I would like to hear the other side of the telephone line.
Very entertaining as I am currently reading ‘A Moveable Feast’! Thanks Oliver!
Very entertaining especially as I am currently reading ‘A Moveable Feast’ by EH. Bravo!!
Brilliant. Love the show and hearing Hemingway, droll voice and all. Loved it!!! Now how about a seance to connect with Gertrude (pehaps Kathy Bates will pitch in) and Pablo (ask Antonio Banderas)! Love your creativity and a good bit of fun during the lockdown. Bravo! Can’t wait for your next creative podcast!
Olivia
PS – One tip off of the imposter, Ernest would never replace the subjective pronoun with the objecting – Your Hem said that “me and Hadley found an apartment’ Hem would have said “Hadley and I”. Also he said “her and Hadley” referring to Gertrude and should have said “She and Hadley”. My nitpicking doesn’t diminish how much I loved the show.
Wow! That was fun.
Fun podcast Oliver!!! I was out in my rural area while I was listening. Good thing cause then no one could hear me laughing! Sam was awesome as Hemingway! We need more episodes like this! How about channeling Coco Chanel? 🙂
Of course, F Scott Fitzgerald! And perhaps Zelda could make an appearance ( wink, wink, hi Lina!)
That was fun! I like the previous suggestion of a chat with Coco Chanel!
What a fun episode! If you can find the right people to impersonate you could create a whole series of mock interviews. Some possibilities: Serge Gainsbourg, Edith Piaf, Yves Saint Laurent.
This was a very interesting and entertaining episode. It was especially timely in that I had just watched “Midnight in Paris” again! Hemingway really came to life! Merci!
Oliver, I 2nd Scott & Zelda. I’ve been rereading The Beautiful/Damned and marvel anew at the man’s wordsmithery. Yes, we all love Hem, but they are two magnificently different men, and FSF is the greater artist with words (to me) He paints poetry. Hem paints newsprint; both have their places.