The Death Factory did not debut at the Hemingway Days Festival in Key West, Florida until July of 2009. The long delay between Part 4 and Part 5 was due to an injury and lengthy recovery for the author. Once again, the performance was in support of the Hemingway Collection at the Customs House Museum administered by the Key West Art and Historical Society. Attending the opening performance was author Lorian Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway.
Act One: From the joys of absinthe to the appeal of actress Ava Gardner, Ernest Hemingway turns to the exotic temptations of China and his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. Back in Cuba, he chases U-boats and tracks Nazi spies as a prelude to the European war and flying missions with the Royal Air Force.
Act Two: Whether commanding French freedom fighters or liberating the Ritz Hotel in Paris, Ernest manages to encounter Sylvia Beach, Marlene Dietrich, Pablo Picasso and Mary Welsh. Later, while serving in the death factory that is World War II, his emotional resources are strained when his first-born son is taken prisoner by the Nazis.
Next book – Part 6: Sunset (In Deadly Ernest) →