Who Was Ernest Hemingway? by Jim Gigliotti

 Who Was Ernest Hemingway? – one of the most famous American writers.

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was born in Oak Park, outside Chicago. From childhood, he was a curious child, exploring nature and being afraid of nothing. He also liked reading, especially adventure stories. This influenced his imagination.

His summers were spent hunting, fishing or reading.

In High School, he wrote short stories for school’s magazine.

His father, who was a doctor, and wanted Ernest to go to college, but sitting in a classroom for another four years wasn’t for Ernest.

His uncle helped him get a job as a reporter in the fall of 1917. He began reporting on news from the courthouse, but this wasn’t exiting to him. So he convinced his boss to assign him to crime reporting.

He liked working for newspaper, where he also learned a specific style of writing with short sentences, energetic words, positive focus, not using unnecessary words and adjectives.

During WWI, in 1918, he joined the Red Cross and drove ambulance in Italy. While delivering supplies to Italian soldiers, a bomb exploded and injured his leg. He was sent back to the US in January 1919.

Life in Oak Park didn’t offer adventure he was craving. In early 1920, he left for Toronto, Canada, where he wrote articles for the Toronto newspaper. Same year, in October, he was back in the US. He moved to Chicago and wrote articles about farming for a magazine.

Also, the same year, he met Hadley Richardson and they married nine months later.

His friend, who was a popular book author, recommended for Ernest to move to Paris if he wanted to become a serious writer. And that’s what Ernest did with his wife. In Paris, he became good friends with F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile, he continued writing many articles for the Canadian newspaper. However, he wanted to work more on short stories. And he did, but he was also spending less and less time with his wife and son. They divorced in 1927.

Meanwhile, he met Pauline Pfeiffer and got married the same year. The same year, he also published a few short stories and one novel – The Sun Also Rises.

Following year 1928, they moved to Key West, Florida, where he became a fisherman. He also practiced boxing. He had a strict schedule. He wrote from morning hours until noon.

He had two sons with Pauline. Ernest had a complicated relationship with his father and the same was with his sons.  Ernest spent most of his time traveling and writing. He wasn’t around his sons often.

His second novel, A Farewell to Arms sold very well. After finishing a book, he’d take time to unwind and travel with Pauline or alone.

One of his trips was to Africa. As usual, his experiences provided plenty of inspiration for his writing.

In 1937, he agreed to report on the Spanish Civil War for the newspaper. During this time, he met Martha Gellhorn, a newspaper reporter.

In 1940, he divorced Pauline and married Martha. They lived near Havana, Cuba, where he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls.

During WWII, things shifted again. Martha was a better war reporter than Ernest, and he was jealous of it. They got divorced in 1945.

He married Mary Welsh in 1946, who was also a reporter.

Between 1940 and 1950, Ernest didn’t write much.

When Across the River and Into the Trees were published in 1950, it didn’t receive good reviews.

His redemption was The Old Man and the Sea published in 1952 which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953.

Following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. After this short novel, he didn’t write much.

After many injuries, his process of writing became slow. He also spiraled into drinking. He committed suicide in 1961.

This biography illustrates a complex character; a man who had a complicated relationship with his father, wives and children. However, he was good at following his natural instincts when it came to his passion for writing, which he connected with his adventures spirit. He was good at making himself a conduit of flowing energy for his passion. When he got bored, he didn’t get stuck. Instead, he looked for something new to reinvent himself and to improve his craft.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2022

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." – Ernest Hemingway

 

 

 

Traits:

·         From childhood, he was a curious child, exploring nature and being afraid of nothing.

·         He liked reading, especially adventure stories. This influenced his imagination.

·         His summers were spent hunting, fishing or reading.

·         He started writing short stories in school.

·         His father wanted him to go to college, but he didn’t want to sit still. He wanted to do his own exploration.

·         His high energy and adventures spirit were good indicators for him what steps to take in life and he was acting on it consistently: moving to different places in search of the right place and position for him, searching for subjects that made him passionate about in writing.

·         When he moved to Florida, he became a fisherman and also practiced boxing – always exploring new ventures.

·         He was disciplined. He had a strict schedule. He wrote from morning hours until noon. – (That could be also an indication why he didn’t like to sit at school and listen to teachers. He knew how to explore the world on his own and to further turn it into serving higher purpose, not just himself).

·         Ernest had a complicated relationship with his father and the same was with his sons. – (He repeated the pattern, not breaking the cycle).

·         He liked exploring new places, and those experiences provided plenty of inspiration for his writing.

·         His third wife was a better war correspondent than he was, and he was jealous of it. – (He took it too personally. He understood the concept that no one was better than another human being yet he struggled to process it within his own life. - Unfortunately, this societal trait of competition is accepted as good, but the only thing it teaches is that we’re better than others - that is not a trait to be followed, even if it’s accepted by majority).   

·         After his biggest success, he spiraled down with drinking. - (When we receive what we wish for but if we’re not ready for it, then something follows that disperses it. If your vessel is not ready to receive something, then it can’t hold it. Imagine an overloaded ship with cargo, it sinks).

  

 

 

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another." – Ernest Hemingway

“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” – Ernest Hemingway

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway

“The shortest answer is doing the thing.” – Ernest Hemingway

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION: 

 Reflecting on above words of Hemingway, brings to mind Conversations with the Z’s: The Energetics of the New Human Soul by Lee Harris. We’ve been programed to think certain way which limits our abilities. It was said before yet ignored how powerful our mind is and how little we use it to our advantage. There is more and more people experiencing raised consciousness or what some call remembering. We’re starting to wake up to what we’re capable of and who we are. We’re not better than any other human being. War is a means of dividing and controlling people. We all have powers to end wars. Learn how to listen, observe, and seek your own truth. Don’t rely on standards or opinions. Question everything and everyone. There is so much more to life than a mediocre life.

 

“Lee Harris has been receiving communication from his guides, the Z’s, since 1999. He has made this wisdom available in a variety of ways, helping hundreds of thousands around the world, and now he offers these powerful messages in a one-of-a-kind and distinctly modern format. His channeling is presented in conversation with psychotherapist Dianna Edwards, who describes her work as “listening to hear.” Her questioning allows for a crystal-clear exploration of Lee’s method and a beautifully accessible way of encountering and absorbing the wisdom transmitted from the Z’s. You’ll learn to connect to your guides, interpret and learn from dreams, employ the magnetics of manifestation, and navigate the current environmental and cultural disarray. The material channeled from the Z’s is practical and meaningful — even transformational — for seekers with open hearts and minds.”

Who Was A.A. Milne? by Sarah Fabiny

 Who Was A.A. Milne? - a playwright, poet, and an author – best known for his books about the teddy-bear Winnie-the-Pooh.

Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) was born in London, England. Both his parents were teachers and education was important to them, but the father also encouraged his sons to spend free time outdoors in nature. And that’s what Alan and his two brothers did.

Their school published a magazine, and Alan began writing articles for it when he was just nine years old. He wrote about his adventures in nature.

His education continued at Westminster School upon earning a math scholarship. But he quickly realized that writing was at his heart. When he found a copy of the Granta magazine published by students at Cambridge University, his new goal was to become an editor of Granta. But he needed to get a scholarship to Cambridge as his parents couldn’t afford the school.

While at Cambridge, he continued to submit poems and stories to the magazine. They became popular with readers.

In 1902, he received an offer to take over as an editor of the Granta. He leaped at the chance. He set a new goal of making the Granta even more known and respected. He was on his way as more and more people began to read the Granta.

The founder of the Granta noticed Alan’s work and thought he was a talented writer. Alan wasn’t sure if he could make a living as a writer but he decided to give it a chance. With his father help, he received some money and knew this was his only chance to make it.

After graduating from Cambridge, he moved to London. Some of his work got published, but most got rejected. He was unsure and full of doubt if he’d make it as a writer, but he wasn’t ready to give up.

In May 1904, his poem got accepted at Punch magazine that featured famous writers. But this wasn’t enough to make a living and he was running out of money. He changed his focus to writing a novel.

In 1905, he published Lovers in London. He wanted to quit writing for Punch magazine but instead was offered a position of assistant editor. So he accepted it, and soon he was meeting many famous people. At one party, he met the love of his life, and they got married.

He became a successful writer and now was looking for a new challenge. He thought of maybe writing a play but WWI came. He volunteered as a soldier. He still managed to write plays which were produced in London and US. He was becoming well-known.

When his son was born, he set a new goal of becoming a good father. He wasn’t interested in writing children’s stories but as he observed his son, a new idea came to him. He wrote poems for children. They got published at the end of 1924, and became a best seller in England and the US.

Despite this success, he didn’t want to write children’s stories. However, he agreed to write just one for the Christmas edition of the newspaper. Thus, he wrote about Christopher Robin and his teddy bear, which he named Winnie-the-Pooh. It was a huge hit.

This propelled him further to write a book of stories for children based on his son’s other stuffed animals. The book, Winnie-the-Pooh, was a massive success. And readers wanted more of it. So he wrote The House at Pooh Corner with addition of a new character – tiger. It was an instant hit.

Meanwhile, his oldest brother died of tuberculosis. After that, Alan wanted to go back to ‘serious’ writing. He focused on plays and novels. But people were not interested in his ‘serious’ writing. They wanted to talk about Winnie-the-Pooh which he didn’t like. His son didn’t like all the attention either. This put a rift between father and son.

During WWII, Alan’s children’s books brought comfort to many people but his grown-up son didn’t see it. Instead, he put a distance between him and his father.

Alan was always set on being a ‘serious’ writer. He didn’t see writing for children as something respectable, but at the end what he created for children brought him the biggest fame.

This biography exemplifies a man who discovered his passion for writing early in his childhood, and continued to refine his talent throughout his life. It was also shaped by what readers wanted to read. The sad part of the story was that he wanted to be a good father, and by observing his son, he came up with the idea of creating the famous story about a teddy-bear. His son loved the attention at first, but later disliked it, and turned the whole blame at the father. It’s a lesson to be learned between the father and the son, which is like a ripple effect, extending to all people that surrounded them or those for example reading this story - what can you learn from it?

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2021

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: “You will be better advised to watch what we do instead of what we say.” – A.A. Milne

 

 

 

Traits:

·         His parents were educators and from young age it was instilled in him that education was important, but the father also made sure his children had a good connection to nature, playing outdoors as well.

·         He began writing magazine articles since he was nine and continued throughout his school years.

·         He wasn’t sure if he could make a living as a writer after college but he decided to give it a chance. Some of his work got published, but most got rejected.

·         When things were not looking bright for him and he was running out of money and time, and was not yet ready to quit, he decided to change his focus. He went from writing poetry and short stories to writing a novel. – He was still doing what he loved but the change in focus shifted things for him.

·         When he wanted to quit a position at magazine, he was offered a position as assistant editor. – That as well shifted things for him. He started meeting influential people.

·         When he became a successful writer, he looked for a new challenge such as writing a play – this is typical for successful people, looking for new challenges.

·         When his son was born, he set a new goal of becoming a good father.

·         He wasn’t interested in writing children’s stories but as he observed his son, a new idea came to him. He wrote poems for children which became bestseller. – observation is the best indicator and leader for our intuition.

·         He never wanted to write stories for children but life continued to propel him in that direction.

·         When he tried to return to ‘serious’ writing, people didn’t want that, especially during war time. Whenever he tried to go against the current, it wasn’t working for him. – Sometimes what we want doesn’t resonate with others, which doesn’t mean we have to change for others. We just need to find a different approach.

 

 

 

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” – A.A. Milne

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:  

is expansion on A.A. Milne’s above quote “Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along…” It highlights the importance of mindfulness and relaxation, slowing down and observing. We’ve been programed to act certain ways which don’t necessarily serve our highest best.

Lee Harris is a globally acclaimed Energy Intuitive, Channeler and Musician who offers grounded, practical teachings focused on helping conscious, intuitive, and sensitive people heal, thrive, and live a better life.

 The Future Human: New Ways of Living and Being on Earth by Lee Harris: 

“Humanity is facing an unprecedented phase of evolution, planetary revolution, and the acceleration of time. More and more people are seeking guidance as they wake up to a connection with something far bigger than what they were taught about human life. Channeled by Lee Harris and prompted by Regina Meredith’s incisive questions, Lee’s guides, the Z’s, expose the lies promulgated throughout history and explain the past and the future,

• why consciousness is driving you faster than your mind
• the positive and negative effects of artificial intelligence and other technology on intellect and the brain
• the changing landscape of relationships, and self-awareness
• why the next decade will be a genuinely revelatory time on earth
• why the most significant influencer in the development of humanity’s new potential is you

The Z’s remind us that everyone on Earth is being affected by the waves of higher consciousness now flooding the planet.”

Who Was Walt Disney? by Whitney Stewart

 Who Was Walt Disney? – a leader in the American animation industry.

Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) was born in Chicago. When he was four, his family moved to a farm in Marceline, Missouri. It was a happy childhood for Walt. He liked to ride on pigs which often meant landing in mud. After school, he fished and skinny-dipped. In winter, he went sledding or skating on a frozen creek. From childhood, he had a natural nag for entertaining people. He liked attention and liked being the class clown. Once, he caught a field mouse, made a leash for it, and paraded his new pet around the classroom. He also had some talent for drawing which at times got him in trouble, especially after drawing with the tar on the side of their white house. 

When his father became sick, the family moved to Kansas City where Walt had to pitch in. At nine, he started delivering papers. 

In school, he wasn’t doing well. Instead, he was thinking of ways to make his classmates laugh. He also liked drawing funny characters or animal in the corner of the pages making it appear as moving while flipping the pages. These were his first cartoons.

Walt attended High School in Chicago where the family returned, but again he was bored in all of his classes. The only thing he liked was drawing cartoons for the school newspaper. After a year, he dropped out of school. At the time, he didn’t know what he wanted to be, but he certainly had faith in himself. 

At night, he took art classes. He bought himself a movie camera. 

When he applied for a job at the post office, he was told that he was too young. He went home, put on a man’s hat, drew a mustache on his face and went back to the post office where this time, he got the job. He knew how to find a solution to a problem. 

When he moved back to Kansas City, he teamed up with another artist. They got jobs at the Kansas City Slide Company. Here, Walt learned all about animation. This was life changing for him. After creating his first cartoon, he sold it to the Newman theatres, and started up a small company. 

He recruited artists to help him make cartoons. He promised to share any money earned from the cartoons. But he went bankrupt. Kansas City was not the center of entertainment business. He moved to Hollywood. 

With his brother Roy, they formed the Disney Brothers Studio. They were doing well with Oswald cartoons which in a way got stolen from him. Then, in secret with a few trusted people, Walt created a new character – a mouse. Mickey Mouse was born. Then, came Donald Duck.

As popular Mickey Mouse is today, at the time of its inception no theater wanted to show mouse cartoons. But Walt wasn’t someone to give up. Once, he added soundtracks, the audience fell in love with Walt’s characters. Then, Mickey Mouse Club was created and sprang up all over America.

Walt was always looking for the next big idea, pushing the boundaries. Up until then, cartoons were short. His next goal was a full – length movie. It took him years to create Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He borrowed more than one and a half million dollars for this project. Snow White was called a masterpiece and won a special Academy Award. 

In the following years, he produced: Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Bambi. 

And he continued to face challenges. There was WWII which affected the sales in Europe. Then, his employees went on strike. His following movies weren’t as successful.

When he spent time with his two daughters, playing and goofing around, it gave him his next idea of an amusement park. Thus, Disneyland was born in Anaheim, California. Even with age, he never slowed down. He had too many ideas to quit working.

At sixty-five, he died of lung cancer. He didn’t get to see the opening of Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida.

This biography illustrates a man who believed in himself and the characters he created. Despite many obstacles, he persisted with what he believed in. 

Source: Grosset & Dunlap, 2012

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Never Give Up believing in Yourself

 

Traits:

·         From childhood, he had a natural nag for entertaining people.

·         He liked attention and liked being the class clown.

·         He had some talent for drawing. To improve it, he took evening classes.

·         In school, he wasn’t doing well. Instead, he was thinking of ways to make his classmates laugh.

·         He liked drawing funny characters or animal in the corner of the pages making it appear as moving while flipping the pages. These were his first cartoons.

·         While in HS, the only thing he liked was drawing cartoons for the school newspaper.

·         After a year, he dropped out of high school. At the time, he didn’t know what he wanted to be, but he certainly had faith in himself.

·         While working at the Kansas City Slide Company, he learned all about animation. This was life changing for him.

·         After creating his first cartoon, he sold it to the Newman theatres, and started up a small company in Kansas City which went bankrupt due to location.

·         Thus, he moved to Hollywood, with his brother Roy, they formed the Disney Brothers Studio.

·         His Oswald cartoons got stolen from him but this didn’t stop him. Afterwards, came his most successful characters: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

·         Walt was always looking for the next big idea, pushing the boundaries. Up until then, cartoons were short. His next goal was a full – length movie. It took him years to create Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which was called a masterpiece and won a special Academy Award.

·         In the following years, he produced: Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Bambi.

·         He continued to face challenges. There was WWII which affected the sales in Europe. Then, his employees went on strike. His following movies weren’t as successful.

·         When he spent time with his two daughters, playing and goofing around, it gave him his next idea of an amusement park. Thus, Disneyland was born in Anaheim, California.

·         Even with age, he never slowed down. He had too many ideas to quit working.

 

 

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” – Walt Disney

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 Angels in My Hair by Lorna Byrne – The True Story of a Modern-Day Irish Mystic

"In this uplifting autobiography, a modern-day Irish mystic shares her vivid encounters and conversations with the angels and spirits she has known her entire life.

Lorna Byrne physically sees and talks with angels every day and has done so ever since she was a baby. As a young child, she assumed everyone could see the angels who always accompanied her. Adults, however, were often skeptical, concerned that Lorna did not seem to be focusing on the world around her. Today, sick and troubled people from all around the world are drawn to her for comfort and healing, and theologians of different faiths seek her guidance. 
 
Angels in My Hair is a moving and deeply inspirational chronicle of Lorna’s remarkable life story. Invoking a wonderful sense of place, she describes growing up poor in Ireland and marrying the man of her dreams—only to have the marriage cut short by tragedy. 
 
Angels in My Hair has garnered overwhelming responses from readers from many walks of life, giving them hope and helping them to realize that no matter how alone they might feel they always have a guardian angel by their side."

Who Was P.T. Barnum? by Kirsten Anderson

 Who Was P. T. Barnum? – a legendary showman, one of the world’s greatest entertainers.

Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891) was born in Bethel, Connecticut. In Bethel, people liked playing pranks and telling tall tales. It influenced Taylor to develop his sense of humor. 

In school, he enjoyed writing essays. He didn’t like working on his father’s farm. Thus, he was thinking of ways to make money in a different way. He sold candy, cookies, and drinks in town.

When he was sixteen, his father died. He got a job at a store to support the family. It led him to other opportunities, eventually he opened his own store where he ran lotteries, which became very profitable. 

Another of his ventures was starting a newspaper which took him to NYC, where he opened a small boardinghouse. There, he heard of an enslaved woman who performed a live stage show. His first shows involving Joice were big success. This is when he found his true passion – show business.

For a few years, he worked as a manager of performers. This gave him valuable experience to start his own show business. But life on the road was a life away from his family. Then, he found a way to do his entertainment from one place. 

In 1841, when Scudder’s American Museum decided to sell its entire collection, he grabbed this opportunity. At the time, museums were becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment, which included lectures and educational shows. He knew how to attract crowds to his museum and became the most successful in the city. But he never stopped adding to his museum. He sent agents around the world to find something unusual. 

Discovering Tom Thumb made them both rich and well-known across the US and Europe. With his success, he got involved in developing the city of Bridgeport in Connecticut. He ended up spending more money than he made. He slowly worked his way out of bankruptcy. 

After his museum got burned twice, he thought of retiring at the age of fifty-eight. But he got bored quickly and accepted an offer from two circus managers.

This biography personifies the true nature of an entertainer, a man who early at his age was influenced by his community to create his own sense of humor, which further led him to discovering his true passion which was entertainment.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2019

  

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Search Your Childhood Experience to Find Your Passion (experience that happened at the age of 10-13 which is a research finding)

 

Traits:

·         His childhood experience led him to find his true passion

·         He was a genius for publicity

·         He never stopped improving on whatever business he was working on at the time

·         His many businesses led him to realization that he was a showman at heart

·         He was successful because he knew how to get people interested in new ideas

·         He built up excitement months before a big show (a method that is still used in some businesses such as movies)

·         He loved his audiences and he loved entertaining

 

“Fortunes always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.” – P.T. Barnum

“Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity.” – P.T. Barnum

“Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now.” – P.T. Barnum

“Money is in some respects life’s fire: it is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master.” – P.T. Barnum

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 Conversations with the Z’s by Lee Harris – Lee Harris has been receiving communication from his guides, the Z’s, since 1999. He has made this wisdom available in a variety of ways, helping hundreds of thousands around the world, and now he offers these powerful messages in a one-of-a-kind and distinctly modern format. His channeling is presented in conversation with psychotherapist Dianna Edwards, who describes her work as “listening to hear.” Her questioning allows for a crystal-clear exploration of Lee’s method and a beautifully accessible way of encountering and absorbing the wisdom transmitted from the Z’s. You’ll learn to connect to your guides, interpret and learn from dreams, employ the magnetics of manifestation, and navigate the current environmental and cultural disarray. The material channeled from the Z’s is practical and meaningful — even transformational — for seekers with open hearts and minds.