Hemingway, Ernest (1929) ‘A Farewell to Arms’, US signed and inscribed family association copy

Provenance: Ruth White Lowry (1884-1974), Hemingway’s cousin and Kansas City native (ownership signature in pencil, recipient of Hemingway’s inscription), by descent. We are the first owners of the book outside this Hemingway family branch. Hemingway and his second wife, Pauline, came to Kansas City in June 1928 for the birth of their first son, Patrick, at the Research Hospital. The couple stayed at the home of Hemingway’s cousin, Ruth, and her husband William Malcom Lowry. Pauline underwent a life-threatening cesarean section during the birth. While Pauline was recovering in the hospital, Hemingway began writing what would become A Farewell to Arms. The trauma and medical detail surrounding the cesarean—and Pauline’s difficult recovery—left a strong impression on Hemingway and informed the vivid childbirth scene at the end of the novel, where Catherine Barkley dies following a cesarean (the famous ending which Hemingway wrote over thirty times before he was satisfied). The emotional weight of this scene is often interpreted as drawing directly from Hemingway’s experience during Pauline’s labor and the fear and helplessness he felt at the time. “I sat outside in the hall. Everything was gone inside of me. I did not think. I could not think. I knew she was going to die and I prayed that she would not. Don’t let her die. Oh, God, please don’t let her die. I’ll do anything for you if you won’t let her die. Please, please, please dear God, don’t let her die. You took the baby but don’t let her die. That was all right but don’t let her die. Please, please, dear God, don’t let her die” (p.353).