The Big Read at Kansas City Public Library

“Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative.”

The simplest writing advice ever given to a young writer led to some of the greatest contributions to American Literature. Ernest Hemingway’s time at The Kansas City Star was brief, only six months, but it influenced every word he put to paper. Eschewing a college education after a successful high school career, Hemingway left Illinois for Kansas City to begin a writing career. 

As enlightening as his first job may have been, Hemingway yearned for more active life experiences. He tried to join the U.S. Army and fight in World War I, but poor eyesight kept him from the front-lines. It wasn’t enough to keep him from serving in the Red Cross Ambulance Corps on the Italian front. Hemingway’s horrific ordeal provided the inspiration for Kansas City Public Library’s Big Read selection, A Farewell to Arms.