Ernest Hemingway was one of the most highly acclaimed writers of the twentieth century, and his novels and short stories continue to be studied in high school classrooms across the United States.
He witnessed firsthand the horrors of both world wars, and his experiences in Europe during those times inspired many of his most memorable works and helped shape his personal views. He also spent much of his life chasing adventure, whether it was running with the bulls in Pamplona, hunting in Kilimanjaro, or game fishing in Cuba.
In this post, we’ll revisit some of Hemingway’s most insightful quotes on life, death, courage, and happiness—some from the author himself, and some that he wrote into his most celebrated works.
Ernest Hemingway Quotes
Below are some of the most famous and insightful quotes attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though they’re not part of any fictional works.
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”
Hemingway was 18 years old when he volunteered to be an ambulance driver for WWI. Later, he would serve as a correspondent covering the Spanish Civil War, and also received a Bronze Star for his bravery during World War II.
However, all that exposure to the brutality of war only cemented his beliefs that war is a crime. His experiences are reflected in many of his novels, as are his views on the subject, with many of his characters left disillusioned if not physically injured.
“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
While it may not be the most reassuring advice, Hemingway’s words on trust certainly ring true.
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
Hemingway has been quoted several times on the importance of listening. And if you’re a writer, you know (or will soon learn) that good listening is an essential skill for storytelling, whether you’re writing a novel or a news report.
Hemingway frequently advised aspiring writers to “write what’s true.” Surely his ability to listen intently helped him create the realistic and relatable characters his readers are so fond of.
“All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer.”
This quote perfectly captures the readers’ experience when they come across a great book, as well as the incredible talent a writer must possess to bring that world to life. I’ll bet that when you read this quote, at least one book came to mind—one that was so powerful and real that it transported you to another time or place.
“Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry: Worry never fixes anything. ”
Many of us need to get this tattooed onto our forearms so we can always be reminded of its wisdom. Have you ever noticed that most of the stuff you worry about never ends up happening anyway? That’s why worrying is usually just a waste of time. Fix what you can and plan what you can, but don’t kill yourself with stress over things that are out of your control.
“In order to write about life first you must live it.”
And while we’re on the subject of not stressing too much, don’t forget to actually live your life. It’s easy to get lost thinking about the past, and even more so the future, but if you’re never living in the present moment, you’ll miss out on so many experiences that are part of being human.
That includes the exhilarating highs as much as the lows. Even if you write fantasies set in outer space, your readers are still human, and you won’t be able to connect with them if you don’t have at least some basic life experience.
Quotes from Hemingway Books
The following quotes are lines or passages from some of Hemingway’s most celebrated books.
“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
― The Garden of Eden
Though sad, this quote speaks to the experiences of many brilliant minds that ponder some of the world’s most serious problems.
“The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.”
― Men Without Women
Falling in love can be an exhilarating ride, but this quote warns against the dangers of falling so hard that you lose yourself, forget your own self-worth, and probably start neglecting other important people in your life, as well.
“You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason.”
— A Moveable Feast
This passage captures the simple, yet powerful, prose that Hemingway was known for. The imagery is so strong, but he doesn’t overdo flowery language with too many similes or metaphors; in fact, the only metaphor is the last line, and it feels so true that it’s easy to forget it’s a metaphor at all. Even if you’ve never been to Paris before, this passage makes it feel like you’ve watched the autumn rain fall there a hundred times.
“If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.”
― A Farewell to Arms
So it’s not the easiest quote to read thanks to the unusual syntax, but once you get past that, you’ll see how deep and true this passage really is. No one gets through life unscathed; the important thing to remember is that the “broken places” can actually become your greatest strengths.
“Going to another country doesn’t make any difference. I’ve tried all that. You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There’s nothing to that.”
― The Sun Also Rises
You can change your location, find a new job, or even surround yourself with new people, but no matter what you do, you can never escape yourself, so it’s best you make peace with who you are. If you aren’t happy with the person you are now, start working on some changes from within, but don’t think that running away will change anything.
“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”
— A MOVEABLE FEAST
If you’re an introvert, you’ll find it especially easy to relate to this passage about spring days in Paris. Who are the few people in your life who are “as good as spring itself?”
“Oh Jake,” Brett said, “We could have had such a damned good time together.”
― THE SUN ALSO RISES
Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly, pressing Brett against me.
Yes,” I said. “Isn’t it pretty to think so?”
These might be the most famous lines about unrequited love ever written. They’re also the final lines of The Sun Also Rises, and they pretty much sum up the tension and frustration between Jake and Brett.
“I can’t stand it to think my life is going so fast and I’m not really living it.”
― THE SUN ALSO RISES
We all feel like this sometimes, but what do you actually do about it? Make an effort to be present and find the little joys in each day, even if you’re not doing anything big or particularly exciting. There are a lot of cliches to throw in here, but you really do have just one life to live, and it’s only getting shorter each day, so take a look at how you spend your time.
What Did Hemingway Say About Death?
Hemingway actually wrote a lot about death and feeling alive, but one of his most famous quotes on the subject is this:
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”
And Hemingway made sure the details of how he lived were always interesting, or at least his idea of exciting. He was fond of hunting in Africa, studying bull fights, boxing, and participating in other dangerous activities, most of which were perceived as “macho.” These sports are also featured in many of his novels and short stories.
Read More by Hemingway
If you’re intrigued by what Hemingway or any of his characters have to say about life, love, and death, then you’ll definitely want to check out some of Hemingway’s best books.
And for more inspiring words from famous authors, including Hemingway himself, be sure to read these quotes about writing that will give you the motivation you need.
Do you have a favorite Ernest Hemingway book? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 10 Best Ernest Hemingway Books: The Champ’s Greatest Works
- The Most Memorable Great Gatsby Quotes, Explained
- 6 Must-Read F. Scott Fitzgerald Books About the Jazz Age
- 75 Quotes About Writing for When You Feel Like Putting the Pen Down
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
