valerie hemingway

Valerie Hemingway, the former assistant to Ernest Hemingway, will be the 2018 UHP Writer-in-Residence and teach “Hemingway’s World,” a seminar that will explore literature, life, and the times of Ernest Hemingway. The course begins on January 23 and will be held on Tuesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for 15 weeks.

 

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Valerie went to Spain at the age of 18 to work as a journalist with the intention of gaining experience to be hired by the Irish Times. During her visit, she interviewed Ernest Hemingway who presented her a job offer. She worked for two years as his assistant, and became his protégé.

 

In 1960, Ms. Hemingway, moved to the U.S. to work at Newsweek magazine. Shortly after, Ernest died and his wife Mary asked Valerie to accompany her to Cuba to assist with the Hemingway estate. Valerie helped Mary with classifying Ernest’s papers for four years and sending his things to the U.S. Hemingway write the memoir, Running with the Bulls, based about her experiences with the author.

 

This is a rare opportunity to get go study with someone who knew Ernest Hemingway’s life and literature personally, edited his papers, had access to him, and understands how it applies today.

 

Ms. Hemingway provides great insights into many of Ernest’s perspectives including masculinity, war, and education. “Ernest wrote about the essence of things; views and behaviors change but essence doesn’t” Hemingway has observed. “He tapped from the source and somehow he is always in vogue.”