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Title: Self-Indulgence
Review: I think Hemingway wanted to do two things: (1) critique certain aspects of how WWII was fought (particularly the politicalization of battle plans); and (2) pay homage to his beloved Venice. To do so, he crafted a fairly thin story about an old soldier who finds himself in one last love with a girl a fraction of his age. The plot (to the extent there is one) and the relationship between the characters would probably make a nice short story. The bulk of the book is taken up by tourist writing about Venice (locales, architecture, food, markets, layout, and, of course, the canals) and a journalist's rants about US generals in WWII. Diehard Hemingway fans will find some jewels worth the read; others should stay away.
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