Literature |
Ernest Hemingway |
Ernest "Papa" Hemingway
(1899-suicide 1961)
"He was a man killed by his art, and his life holds a lesson
all intellectuals need to learn: that art is not enough...
Ernest Hemingway was born in 1899. His hometown was Oak Park, Illinois, which is by Chicago. He died in 1961 by suicide. He was educated at Oak Park High School, where his first writings where in the school's magazine. His mom liked to spend money and spent too much, creating problems between her and her husband. Then, the Great Depression worsened their financial problems. By 1928 Dr. Hemingway, Ernest's father, was in a terrible financial state, and killed himself. The act of suicide was repeated by two of Ernest’s siblings, (brother and sister) and later himself. We also know that his grandchild also suffered a tragic death as a young woman. She was a famous film star. When he was 18 he was put on a mentorship with the Kansas City Star. It is said that much of his writing style was learned there. Later in his life he wanted to be in the Army, but his eyesight was bad and the American Army rejected him. He then went to Italy to be an ambulance driver for the Italian army. In 1921 he went to France as a correspondent for the Toronto Star, and here he made friends with writers and actors. At this time he married Elizabeth, but she left him after a short time of marriage because he took too much interest in other women...... On January 27, 1927 he married Pauline Pfeiffer. At this point in his life he spent time in Key West Florida, Spain and Africa. He returned to Spain during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. He was also a correspondent and covered World War II. After the war Hemingway went to live in Havana, Cuba and then in Ketchum, Idaho. He developed an interest in bull fighting and used this theme in his writing of his book Death in the Afternoon in 1932. Hemingway and Pauline were divorced in 1940. His third wife was Martha Gelhorn. This marriage only lasted for four years. In 1944 Hemingway married this fourth wife, Mary Welch, a Time Magazine correspondent. In 1953 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Old Man and the Sea. He won the Nobel Prize for that work in 1954.
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Farewell to Arms |
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When Ernest stayed in Italy during World War 1, he was injured, and sent to hospital. He fell in love with a beautiful nurse named Agnes von Kurowsky, but she rejected him. This incidence resulted in one of his most read novels - "Farewell to Arms". This story is based on his own experiences, and is a beautiful love story in deep contrast to the brutal war scenes.....
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Jazz |
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Historians often claim that this art form has its origin from many different musical roots. It might be a blending between the native music of the African Negro slaves and religious songs and work songs of the field workers, in addition to American Folk music, Spanish dances and French Cajun square dances. New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, and you can hear this kind of music everywhere you go in NO. The "Einstein of jazz" Louis Armstrong was born here on August 4.th 1901, and he is regarded as the great son of New Orleans.
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Louis Armstrong |
 Armstrong was born on 4 August 1901, but until recently the date of birth was reckoned to be 4. th of July 1900. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, and died . 6 July 1971 in New York City, New York, USA. It is impossible to overstate Louis "Satchmo' Armstrong"s importance in jazz. He was one of the most influential artists in the music's history.
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 He was also more than just a jazz musician, he was an enormously popular entertainer. Had Armstrong been born white and privileged, his achievement would have been extraordinary; that he was born black and in desperately depressive circumstances makes his success almost miraculous. Armstrong achieved this extraordinary breakthrough largely by the force of his personality.
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Modern Art |
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New York is famous for the most magnificent collection of modern Art. Some of Pablo Picasso's most interesting and important work is gathered here. Some of the museums worth visiting are: The Metropolitan museum, Museum of Modern Art and The New Museum of Contemporary Art.
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 From The Cloisters, a collection in the Metropolitan.
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Pictures from the Museum of Modern Art. |
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From The New Museum of Contemporary Art. |
 Double Poke in the Eye |
Halloween |
 Halloween is a celebration based on old traditions and beliefs. It is influenced by many different cultures and religions, both Roman, Celtic and Christian. Nowadays it is not a religious feast, but it is more a day for celebrating, games and costumes. In USA many children find Halloween even more fun than Christmas! The celebration takes place on October the 31st. The word is short for "Hallows Evening" - the night before "All Hallows" or "All Saint's Day". A typical tradition is to go "Trick or Treating". This is also based on old traditions. The "Jack-o-Lantern", witches, skeletons and ghosts are well known symbols in today's celebration.
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