The End of an Avocation Summary and Analysis

Hadley and he return to the racetrack many more times that year, Hemingway writes, and she always enjoys it. It does not compare to hiking in the mountains or spending time with their friend, Chink, but it is enjoyable. It does not come between them, Hemingway says, and adds as an indication of things to come that only people could come between them.

Hemingway justifies the hobby to himself by writing about it. Only one of his racing stories survives, however, as it was in the mail at the time that all his other writings were lost. This is the first mention of an episode that he will explain further later in the book.

Hemingway becomes increasingly involved in racing, working two different tracks and going by himself more and more often. He...