Fantastic Ernest Hemingway typed letter signed, referring to his 1940 novel ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' with the statement, ''...when you are writing the best book you ever wrote...'' Hemingway's novel about love and sacrifice amidst the Spanish Civil War seems, at this time, to have eclipsed in his mind ''A Farewell to Arms'', the novel that Hemingway believed was his best until he wrote ''For Whom the Bell Tolls''.
Hemingway here writes to his typist Jane Armstrong, with several references allowing for precise dating of either 1939 or early 1940 -- when Hemingway was writing ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'', even though the letter is undated. Hemingway mentions ''Marty'', his nickname for Martha Gellhorn, who moved to Cuba to be with Hemingway in early 1939 after they fell in love during the Spanish Civil War. However, he also mentions ''haveing [sic] a goddamned wife try to put you out of business'', referring to Pauline Pfeiffer, whom Hemingway divorced in November 1940. While Hemingway was reporting in Spain, Pfeiffer famously installed a lavish swimming pool in their Key West home that was so expensive Hemingway threw a penny in the wet concrete, telling her that since she spent all his money, she might as well have his last cent; this penny is still cemented in the pool. Lastly, Hemingway references Jane's daughter Phyllis, who took over typing duties from her mother in the late 1930s.
In this letter, Hemingway describes an almost manic writing spree, working ''22 hours straight recently without leaving the desk'' and also ''working since six a.m...I have been working so long and getting beat so much around the head and neck that am sort of punchy''. He also asks for Jane's opinion about the chapters she's typed, writing, ''if you like it makes me feel good. When I read the chapters you just typed I thought it was wonderful...''
Letter reads in part (corrected for small typing errors), ''Dear Jane: Thanks for the beautiful job. There wasn't a correction to be made. / I'm so sorry Phyllis has been laid up and I appreciate the accuracy and intelligence of her work.''
Letter continues, ''I know you don't do things for dough and I don't either. This happens to be a hell of an emergency (I worked 22 hours straight recently without leaving the desk on a similar one and aint over the sort of thing yet) / Money is chips with you like with me but Phyllis is going to need it and it would be worth $150. for her if you wanted to ruin yourself and do what no white person has any right to ask any other to do; jam like in a six day bike race and copy the rest of this I am sending in with Theodore so I can send it off this week.'' Assuming that Jane took the job, Hemingway is likely referring to his short story ''Under the Ridge'', published by ''Cosmopolitan'' in its October 1939 issue.
''I know how difficult I am to type and that nobody but you and your you-trained offspring can do it properly and I respect you very much and do not want to impose on you. If it's too much don't do it and the hell with Cosmopolitan. I would truly do it myself but I cannot write and copy both. Marty would but she aint accurate. It's worse for me to correct her mistakes than to write it in the first place. I'm not flattering you pal. I'm just asking you...No. Is an o.k. answer. We've been around so long we understand.''
He then segues to both his frustration with his wife and his elation with the novel-in-progress, ''It is now raining like hell and I have been working since six a.m. and now there will be no tennis which aint good for work tomorrow. Neither is haveing [sic] a goddamned wife try to put you out of business when you are writing the best book you ever wrote. But let's keep it all clean. Anyhow you are wonderful whether you type this or not.'' With a large and bold signature, ''Ernest'' in graphite.
Hemingway then adds an interesting postscript, wanting Jane's validation about the book, ''If you like the book will you write me because I have been working so long and getting beat so much around the head and neck that am sort of punchy and if you like it makes me feel good. When I read the chapters you just typed I thought it was wonderful. But then I am maybe nuts too which wouldn't be odd under all the circumstances if you add them up one after another including the Scandinavians. Imguess [sic] I mean the Finns.''
Single page measures 8.5'' x 11''. Folds and faint discoloration, overall very good to near fine condition.