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True at First Light: A Fictional Memoir of His Last African Safari Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,183 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Both a revealing self-portrait and dramatic fictional chronicle of his final African safari, Ernest Hemingway's last unpublished work was written when he returned from Kenya in 1953. Edited by his son Patrick, who accompanied his father on the safari, True at First Light offers rare insights into the legendary American writer.
A blend of autobiography and fiction, the book opens on the day his close friend Pop, a celebrated hunter, leaves Ernest in charge of the safari camp and news arrives of a potential attack from a hostile tribe. Drama continues to build as his wife, Mary, pursues the great black-maned lion that has become her obsession, and Ernest becomes involved with a young African girl whom he supposedly plans to take as a second bride. Increasingly enchanted by the local African community, he struggles between the attraction of these two women and the wildly different cultures they represent.
Spicing his depictions of human longings with sharp humor, Hemingway captures the excitement of big-game hunting and the unparalleled beauty of the landscape. Rich in laughter, beauty, and profound insight. True at First Light is an extraordinary publishing event—a breathtaking final work from one of our most beloved and important writers.
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"It is as well this drunken, rambling memoir/story was edited by Hemingway's son; but it is in its own way important if one wants to understand the great man and how he lived. It is uninhibited and the writing is mostly wonderful. It expresses Hemingway's belief that blood sports should be a contest between a noble beast (here a great lion) and a skillful human. The lion should be killed outright with an accurate shot; if a coup de grace is needed, the hunter has failed."
— Ian (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The value of True at First Light lies in its candor, its nakedness: it provides a rare opportunity to watch a master working his way toward art.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review -
“Uneven, imperfect, irritating, amusing, moving, and of treasurable importance to an understanding of this massive however flawed genius of our literature.
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Twentieth-century American literature could not end on a brighter note than the publication of this book.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
True at First Light Listener Reviews
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" 314p- 01-02-2005 "
— Michael, 2/20/2014 -
" Although Hemingway is one of my favorite authors, I found this novel difficult to get through "
— Denise, 2/16/2014 -
" His last fictional work as edited by his son Patrick is almost a memoir or his safari days in AFrica. The plot is satirical and poignant. Enjoyable. "
— Kimberlyn, 2/14/2014 -
" Everyone knows that Ernest didn't get around to finishing this one. I believe that's what made it a struggle. This just proves that it's difficult to create and bring someone into your world, even if its of your own. "
— corri, 2/1/2014 -
" Every now and then I need to read Hemingway just to get all the flowery descriptions out of my subconcsious. Oh, thank you Ernest for cutting directly to the point. His imagery is very involving, just not so overblown. Having never been to Africa, this book certainly makes me want to go. There is a lot of romantic nostalgia involved when you read Hemingway, but isn't that the way it should be? "
— Ben, 1/31/2014 -
" I expected Hemmingway or Mary to die in a plane crash or be killed by a lion anytime. A should read for H fans. He must have been truly and soundly and completely a tortured soul. "
— Falley, 1/25/2014 -
" Hemingway was a huge dick, huh? "
— Dan, 1/17/2014 -
" Amazing, I times I hated it and at times I loved it. In the end it is a read I won't forget. "
— Jason, 1/5/2014 -
" Absolutely excellent... of course! Now I want to go to Africa. "
— Erin, 11/11/2013 -
" Africa and the life of Hemingway...wonderful. "
— Dottie, 11/9/2013 -
" I listened to part of the audio version. I was confused and bored all at the same time. I think he did a terrible job of telling who people were.. and am not sure if I want to listen to the rest of a book about killing animals in Africa and Hemingway cheating on his wife in front of her. "
— Emily, 11/5/2013 -
" This was difficult to listen to at times because both Dale and I are not hunters and so the thrill of killing an animal was lost on us. Great imagry and writting. "
— Cindy, 10/7/2013 -
" This is a beautiful book. If I ever see Africa it will be like I'm returning there because I've seen it so many times through Hemingway's eyes. His love for it rings throughout this book. "
— Justjenny, 10/6/2013 -
" When you run out of Hemmingways to read, this should give you a temporary fix. "
— S., 9/23/2013 -
" It seemed to be not finished like he would have come back and fill in the background. But really they were so shallow and self centered i lost interest and only made it half way thru which is rare for me to just chuck reading it "
— Cathy, 7/1/2013 -
" I can't say how long ago I read this book but never have I wanted to travel to Africa so badly to see what was described in between the covers of this book (though I'm afraid that it would probably bit considerably different since a significant sum of years passed since Hemingway's visit). "
— W.T., 5/17/2013 -
" interesting esp if you are a Hemingway fan. good insight into his latter years. "
— Cathy, 1/4/2013 -
" Gave me a better insight into Hemingway and the person he was "
— Chris, 10/31/2012 -
" What's true at first light is a lie by noon. "
— Dmcsween, 5/28/2012 -
" Not truly a Hemingway novel, but interesting read. Tells a lot about him as a person. Which didn't make me like him any more. Kinda seemed like a wierd fella. But a badass in real life. Although I didn't connect with him much. This wouldn't be very high on my list of must reads. "
— Travis, 5/21/2012 -
" Love Hemingway and this is one of my favorite memoirs. A must-read for true fans of his work. "
— Shirley, 4/26/2012 -
" Especially after Courtney and I went on a safari to Tanzania, this book took me back there. "
— David, 9/5/2011 -
" Interesting mostly from a scholarly standpoint. Lacks cohesion and momentum, but is still an interesting look into Hemingway's life, insofar as it is true. "
— K.M., 7/25/2011 -
" I'm tempted to give this two stars, but that just seems unfair considering that this is an unfinished work. It has Hemingway's typical flashes of brilliance, but as a whole it's just not as compelling as his other work. "
— Carrie, 12/30/2010 -
" Especially after Courtney and I went on a safari to Tanzania, this book took me back there. "
— David, 10/7/2010 -
" I've always equated Ernest Hemingway to Sam Peckinpah. This novel definitely reinforces that notion. "
— Eric, 7/21/2010 -
" p.139 "There is some doubt as to whether any truly honest and talented soldier can ever hope for anything except to be destroyed." "
— Patrick, 5/24/2010 -
" Interesting mostly from a scholarly standpoint. Lacks cohesion and momentum, but is still an interesting look into Hemingway's life, insofar as it is true. "
— K.M., 4/22/2010 -
" Africa and the life of Hemingway...wonderful. "
— Dottie, 12/14/2009 -
" What's true at first light is a lie by noon. "
— Dmcsween, 11/24/2009 -
" Put together by his son, Patrick. Good views of Africa, but some things are distracting, for instance his desire to take an African tribal woman as a second wife while his wife, Mary, was there with him. Sort of cheapened him. Also, the threat of Mau-Mau was never developed. "
— Zack, 9/8/2009 -
" His last fictional work as edited by his son Patrick is almost a memoir or his safari days in AFrica. The plot is satirical and poignant. Enjoyable. "
— Kimberlyn, 8/12/2009 -
" I'm tempted to give this two stars, but that just seems unfair considering that this is an unfinished work. It has Hemingway's typical flashes of brilliance, but as a whole it's just not as compelling as his other work. "
— Carrie, 7/30/2009 -
" Amazing, I times I hated it and at times I loved it. In the end it is a read I won't forget. "
— Jason, 7/27/2009 -
" my purse got stolen before i got to the last few pages. it was much better than i'd anticipated - the book, not the theft - but not good enough to merit buying another copy. and let's be honest, libraries - pah?!!!! as unfriendly as the kindle. "
— Jodi, 5/26/2009 -
" Yes, a fictional memoir, first published serially in Sports Illustrated. My brother found those issues and gave them to me -- before the book was published. "
— Avary, 3/27/2009
About Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), born in Oak Park, Illinois, started his career as a writer in a newspaper office in Kansas City at the age of seventeen. After the United States entered the First World War, he joined a volunteer ambulance unit in the Italian army. After his return to the United States, he became a reporter for Canadian and American newspapers. During the twenties, Hemingway became a member of the group of expatriate Americans in Paris, which he described in his first important work, The Sun Also Rises. He also wrote Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, the story of an old fisherman’s journey, his long and lonely struggle with a fish and the sea, and his victory in defeat. He also wrote short stories that are collected in Men Without Women and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories. Hemingway died in Idaho in 1961.
About Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy has made over forty motion pictures, including Silverado, Presumed Innocent, 10, Cocoon, Gorky Park, Best Seller, First Blood, and F/X 1 & 2. On television, he has received three Emmy Award nominations for To Catch a Killer, Burden of Proof, and A Killing in a Small Town. Mr. Dennehy has performed on the New York, regional, and international stages in such plays as Death of a Salesman, The Iceman Cometh, Translations, and The Cherry Orchard.