Hemingway’s Former Secretary to Visit HPMEC Reading Retreat
PIGGOTT, Ark. — A dinner featuring special guest Valerie Hemingway, who was Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway’s personal secretary and confidante and later the wife of his youngest son, will highlight the annual reading retreat, hosted by the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum & Educational Center (HPMEC), Saturday, April 1, at the museum, 1021 W. Cherry Street, Piggott.
The Hemingway barn was converted to a studio to give the writer privacy while working. Portions of one of his most famous novels, "A Farewell to Arms," and several short stories were written in this studio.
Upon registration, participants will receive copies of three novels, including Ernest Hemingway’s “Islands in the Stream.” The three novels will focus on the boundaries between fiction and biography. In addition, participants in the retreat will receive a complimentary copy of Valerie’s memoir about her time with the Hemingway family, titled “Running with the Bulls.”
Participants will then come together at the museum for a day of meaningful discussion and fun activities. Experts in the writing field will lead discussion about the books.
The cost of the retreat is $100, which includes copies of the three books, meals throughout the weekend and a ticket to the dinner. Tickets for the dinner only cost $35.
For more information about the retreat, including the full schedule and reading list, contact the museum at (870) 598-3487 or email adamlong@AState.edu.
HPMEC is an Arkansas State University Heritage Site. Tours are available on the hour Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 1-3 p.m.
