Nabokov and Hemingway

Two titans of twentieth century literature passed away on July 2: Ernest Hemingway (1961) and Vladimir Nabokov (1977). Both born in 1899, they lived quite different lives with perhaps only good writing as their shared outcome. Their works speckle any list of the twentieth century’s best books.

Good writing can take any shape, as is proven by these two disparate styles: Hemingway being the quintessential sparse and economical writer while Nabokov chose intricate descriptions. Neither style is better than the other, but one thing is certain: these writers will continue to be read, admired, and discussed. Of course the Austin Public Library owns their classics (The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Lolita, The Gift, etc.), so I would like to highlight a few lesser known titles by Hemingway and Nabokov.

Hemingway
The Good Life According to Hemingway
Conversations with Ernest Hemingway


Vladimir Nabokov
Nabokov’s Butterflies: Unpublished and Uncollected Writings
Speak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited