The Hemingway quote makes for a good blurb but it is in fact worthless, particularly when you read the assessments of other American writers (e.g., Melville, Moby-Dick just rhetoric, and Thoreau - who cares about a naturalist - I'm paraphrasing). And, yes, it's a character speaking (although that character is close to Hemingway). So, it's really irritating, reductionist, and close to idiotic. However, it could be worse. The could quote Jane Smiley. Hilton Obenzinger -----Original Message----- From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harold Bush Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 6:49 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Autobiography of Mark Twain on CBS Sunday Morning you know what always irritates me just a little? It's when someone says th= e following: > > He's been called the greatest American writer of all time. His bestsellin= g > novel, "The [sic] Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" =97 the book, Ernest > Hemingway wrote, from which "all American literature comes" > > Now, perhaps I'm splitting hairs here. But Hemingway never said this. A character in one of his stories said it. Which means, it's like saying Poe once said that "I looked for the opportunity to dismember him" (Tell-tale Heart). Is it just me here? I beg you, members of the guild -- please help me to overcome my own rather severe weaknesses on this extremely trivial matter... best, -hb --=20 Harold K. Bush, Ph.D Professor of English Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO 63108 314-977-3616 (w); 314-771-6795 (h) <www.slu.edu/x23809.xml>