Medellín and Málaga, Spring Talks & Travels

When I booked my airline ticket the girl asked: "Do you only travel to places beginning with M? On May 3rd I set out from Montana via Miami to Medellín to give the keynote speech in the Centro Colombo Americano's six week lecture series on the Lost Generation.  My days were filled with talks, interviews, and workshops at the Centro and three universities in the beautiful mountain valley where sunshine and rain showers are sisters.   I was greeted with enthusiasm and appreciation and noted a lively interest in the arts and promotion of culture in Botero's home town.   It was agreed by all that Medellín is a place to return to soon.

From Medellín I flew to Málaga where I was given a rousing welcome.   I attended the Encuentro Internacional/Mayo 2009 HEMINGWAY Un Verano Peligroso, MÁLAGA 1959 marking the 50th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway's stay at La Consula when he was gathering material for The Dangerous Summer.  The setting for my talk was the stately former home of Bill and Annie Davis where I spent a total of eight months over a two year period (1959-60) with the Hemingways.  Now one of Europe's finest culinary schools, La Consula's conference room was filled to capacity.  After my talk we were invited outside and feted with a very fine selection of tapas and local wines.  The conference was sponsored by the Fundacíon Manuel Alcántara and directed by the genial Andrés Arenas Gómez.   

 

Málaga is vying to become the European Capital of Culture 2016.  If you have any affinity for this Andalusian coastal city, please send in your vote.

 

Link to Today show interview, Dec 8, 2004

There were some reports of difficulty viewing this video, so I am publishing a more direct link to my interview by Ann Curry of a few years ago:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/6677125#6677125

Video Chat!

I have taken another step into the 21st century by starting to have "video chats" with my far-flung family. One of my children set it up for me. I have not done it very often yet, but I have high hopes!

Lecture in Toronto, evening of Mar 30th

Here is some advance publicity for the Toronto lecture:

The lecture series, which is partly sponsored by the Toronto Star and includes Marc Kielburger and Roxanne Joyal, Valerie Hemingway, Diane Keaton, Isabella Rossellini and Whoopi Goldberg, starts at 7:30 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall.

As you can see, I am in some very good company!

Original context is here.

Lecture in Port Huron, MI lunch Feb 9th

No, this isn't a misprint: I am going to try to give a lecture in Port Huron in the day and another lecture in Toronto in the evening of the same day.

I pray for good weather and smooth travel connections!

Lecture in Denver, 7:30pm Feb 9th

Rocky Mountain New

More advance publicity for my "Unique Lives" lecture on Feb 9th in Denver:

* Unique Lives & Experiences: Valerie Hemingway Feb. 9 at the Buell Theatre. Ernest's secretary talks about the author and his estranged son, whom she wound up marrying. uniquelives.com or 1-877-872-812

Full context here.

Lecture in Denver, 7:30pm, Feb 9th

Here is some advance publicity from an upcoming gig which was in the on-line Denver Post:

The 2009 Unique Lives & Experiences lecture series is being hawked in newspapers: "Don't Miss The Ultimate Girls' Night Out!" The series, which starts Feb. 9, includes Valerie Hemingway, Diane Keaton, Marlee Matlin, Christiane Amanpour, Kerry Kennedy and Azadeh Moaveni.

Full context here.

Michigan Tour Feedback

I was very pleased to see that an event in which I participated was rated the number one event of the year in that area by a local newspaper. Details can be found here.

Book Group

There is something satisfying about discussing books with congenial fellow book lovers, so even though I am perennially pressed for time, I will leading a discussion for a local public book group on Jan 17, 2009. Details can be found here.

Photos from 4/24/08, Grand Rapids

I've been having some computer troubles and so have only now gotten around to posting these photos from my appearance in Grand Rapids as part of the Great Michigan Read.

This photo is of myself and Mike Ross. Click on the image to see it full-sized.

This one is of me in action at the lectern. Click on the image to see it full-sized.

A Night to Remember Promo

From the Canton Repository, Canton Ohio: (full text is here)

"An Evening to Remember: A Hemingway Comes to Canton," Stark County District Library Foundation's fundraising event, will be Nov. 8 at Brookside Country Club.

Valerie Hemingway, author of "Running with the Bulls," will share stories of her life with the Hemingways. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres, music by Michael Curtis, and a silent auction.

After Hemingway presents her memoir, there will be a book signing and desserts. Cost is $50 per person. Contact Mark Guyer at (330) 458-2758 or mguyer@starklibrary.org. Deadline is Tuesday.

For two years after a chance meeting with Ernest Hemingway in Spain in 1959, young Irish reporter Valerie Danby-Smith traveled with Hemingway and his wife, Mary, through Spain and France.

She came by the Hemingway name by marrying Earnest's son, Greg.

Appearance in Petoskey, MI Oct 24 at 7:30pm

From the Petoskey News-Review:

Hemingway weekend — The Michigan Hemingway Society will hold the 19th annual Ernest Hemingway weekend Friday through Sunday, Oct. 24-26. Valerie Hemingway, the author’s former secretary, will describe her experiences with the Hemingway family. The historic Stafford’s Perry Hotel in Petoskey’s Gaslight District is the conference headquarters. Other activities include tours with historical reenactments, story discussions, talks on Ernest’s boating and on collecting rare books.Those interested in registration or additional information about the conference may call (231) 347-0117 or visit the Society’s Web site at www.michiganhemingwaysociety.org.

Mention in IHT Article

There is a nice article in the IHT today, in which I have a brief quotation. The full text can be found here; my quotation is reproduced below.

"Originally, I think they came over to steal the mangoes," said Valerie Hemingway, who worked as Hemingway's assistant from 1959 until his death in 1961 and later married Gregory. "Instead of shooing them away, Ernest found things for them to do. Feed the cats, pick up the mail and give them a few pennies. And when he knew Greg and Pat were coming, he started a baseball team."

Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Scotland

I was part of the Fringe Festival this year in Edinburgh.

I was unable to find time to blog about this myself, so I will cheat and refer you to press coverage of this event.

Here is a link to coverage from the LivingScotsman.com (though they mispelled "Hemingway"). You will find the Guardian's on-line coverage here.

This is a quotation the Reuters article on my appearance at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland:

Decades later, Valerie Hemingway brought her memories of daiquiris in tropical Cuba and bullfights in Spain to rainy Edinburgh, Scotland's capital.

She teamed up with Scottish director Toby Gough and a Cuban music and dance group to recreate the Havana of the 1950s in a stage production called "Hemingway's Havana" as part of last week's Fringe Festival.

"Hemingway loved Cuba because it was a place where he could be anonymous," she said in an interview with Reuters.

The full text can be found here.

This is a quotation from the Times On-line about the same event:

Surrounded by gorgeous dancers and musicians from Cuba, and dressed in a glamorous beaded frock, La Hemingway is a handy raconteur who offers a tantalising taste of Cuba at that perfect moment.

The full text can found here.

There was also some coverage in an on-line publication called The List:

Hemingway spent 20 years in Havana and this well-intentioned recreation of his favourite hangout, the Floridita bar, provides a reason for his one-time secretary and daughter-in-law, Valerie Hemingway, to be the star of the show. Live on stage, she diligently delivers reminisces of Cuba and Hemingway but you can't help longing for a native Cuban to give some insight into their country and heritage.

The full text can found here.

MSU President's Lecture

I am honored to be asked to give the President's Lecture this year at my alma mater, Montana State University.

For details, visit their web site here.

War + Ink

I have been on the road for a few weeks. On May 14th I gave a talk to a packed house at the Plaza Library in Kansas City, Missouri. It was my first visit to that part of the world. I was taken around the offices of the Kansas City Star; the same building, the same newspaper where the 18 year old Ernest Hemingway was a cub reporter -- his first newspaper job, which lasted seven months until he left for Italy to join an ambulance corps in World War I. Hemingway later acknowledged that his writing owed much to what he had learned when he worked for the Star. He cited their style sheet as an excellent writer's guideline.

I spent three weeks in rainy England: London, Oxford, Yorkshire, visiting friends and family. Then, in mid-June I returned to Kansas City to attend the 13th Hemingway Society International Conference. The themes were journalism and World War I. It was titled "War + Ink." Some of the sessions were held at the Liberty Memorial War Museum, a splendid venue.

It is beautiful here in Bozeman. The summer visitors have begun to trickle through. This week friends from Italy and Portsmouth, R.I. appeared. The weather cooperated with beautiful sunshine and nothing but blue skies. As soon as they left, however, the heavens opened and there was an almighty downpour with thunder and lightening for good measure.

Till next time.

Opinion Piece by Patrica Anne Shaheen

Still on vacation, but could not resist a quick update.

Here is an interesting opinion piece by a writer in Michigan which uses one of my talks there as a jumping-off point.

Taking a Break

I will be taking a break from speaking, touring, writing and blogging for a few weeks. I hope to resume, refreshed, in June.

Have a happy Spring!

KC Was Great

I had a great time in KC: a large enthusiastic audience and a superb dinner afterwards.

They tell me that my talk was the best-attended event in the venue's very short history (it opened a few short weeks ago in April).

Kansas City itself was very nice; for information about goings on in KC, visit this site.

On To Kansas City!

No rest for the wicked! My Michigan tour was great, but now I am getting ready for my trip to Kansas City.


Here is some advance publicity: (original context is here)

In another book note, Valerie Hemingway, author of Running With the Bulls: My Years With the Hemingways, will speak about her book and her travels with Ernest Hemingway at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Plaza Branch Library, 4801 Main St.

As Valerie Danby Smith, Hemingway worked as the author’s secretary and was with Hemingway and his wife, Mary, when they traveled through Spain, France and Cuba. She worked for the estate after his death and married Gregory, Ernest Hemingway’s son.

Hemingway will sign copies of the book purchased at the event. Otherwise, there is no charge. Call 816-701-3407 or see kclibrary.org.