The Letters of Ernest Hemingway. Vol. 2: 1923–1925

This second installment of Hemingway's collected letters, now projected to run to 17 volumes, contains 242 letters, two-thirds of which are previously unpublished. Correspondents include family, youthful companions, and literary luminaries such as Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and Robert McAlmon. The letters document the significant role Hemingway (1889–1961) played in promoting the work of his friends in literary journals such as Transition and This Quarter, as well as his stylistic development leading to the publication of In Our Time (1925) and The Sun Also Rises (1926). Hemingway's letter-writing style is generally playful. Overall, the letters provide a portrait of the author as son, husband, father, and friend—an ordinary American embodying both the values and prejudices of his time. Included are a useful introduction, detailed notes, and a 15-page chronology for the years covered.