Comments on: Hemingway’s villa in Cuba – Finca Vigía

By: DAvid Ray

DAvid Ray — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:55:14 +0000

In my 2011 book, Hemingway, A Desperate Life, I describe a man who, though pursued as a communist by his arch enemy, J. Edgar Hoover, could never have been a communist. He was about as capitalist as they come, aggressive, competitive to the core, money-oriented (to say the least). Anyone who’s read his books, including For Whom The Bell Tolls and To Have and Have Not, can easily see that any coincidental links to various ideologies were as tenuous, temporary, and tangentially essential for the causes he fought for alongside idealists of any stripes as were Orwell’s or those of others drawn into conflicts. His references to communists, with the possible exception of Castro, are always contemptuous.

By: LB

LB — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:01:24 +0000

In reply to Ed.

Ed, thanks for the correction; yes, it was Illinois of course.

This might interest you:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/03/fbi-and-ernest-hemingway
proving that Hemingway’s so-called paranoia re: surveillance on him after Cuba was in fact not paranoia at all.

Castro may not have been exactly communist, nor did I claim he was (not that it would have been a problem), but he was clearly a supporter of the revolution and clearly despised Bastista’s brutality. That is the point I think.

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:17:56 +0000

Keep in mind Hemingways support of the revolution was because Batista was becoming unbearable and to this point Castro had stated he was NOT communist. Many people like to infer Hemingway supported communism and nothing could be further from the truth, even in Spain, the choice was relatively benign communism or brutal fascism, which would you have supported? Hemingway met Castro a grand total of ONE time at the fishing tournament and Castro has overstated this relationship ever since. Modern scholars who travel to the Finca pay Castro lip service and show his ‘magnanimity’ because you basically have to in order to get anything done in Cuba as an American.

Also, Hemingway’s home state was Illinois, not Idaho.

By: LB

LB — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:39:53 +0000

In reply to CHARLES FINCH. Not sure of the exact distance but Jose Marti is on the other side of Havana from Cojimar. I seem to remember it was a half hour drive from Havana to Finca Vigia or maybe a little more. I forget exactly. It seemed interminable because there were far too many of us in far too small a taxi (there are plenty of new cabs but we didn't get one) and it was hot. Cojimar was perhaps about 15 mins from the finca by car? Google map "Cojimar" and you can clearly see the distances. Jose Marti is the large grey shape on the other side of Havana, a little to the south.

By: CHARLES FINCH

CHARLES FINCH — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:54:04 +0000

How far from Jose Marti International Airport is La Vigia farm? IS Cojimar close by the house?

By: ElizabethC

ElizabethC — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:50:25 +0000

“Considering the overcrowding in housing in Cuba it’s hard to see these spaces sit empty, but there is something unexpectedly moving about this place and I’m glad it has been kept up as a museum.”

Yes.

By: bree

bree — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 01:36:37 +0000

Wow, really interesting and thoughtful post – thanks!

By: Marya

Marya — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:06:36 +0000

If you are still in Cuba you MUST go to the Art Schools. They are amazing. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2003/sep/08/architecture.cuba

By: Cherry

Cherry — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:10:18 +0000

I just discovered your blog. I’m loving what I’ve seen so far. Those are gorgeous photos of Hemingways house. I love the whole weight monitoring system.

I’ll definitely be checking this space again.

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Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:02:09 +0000

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