Both a revealing self-portrait and dramatic fictional chronicle of his
final African safari, Ernest Hemingway's last unpublished work was written
when he returned from Kenya in 1953. Edited by his son Patrick, who
accompanied his father on the safari, True at First Light offers rare
insights into the legendary American writer. A blend of autobiography and
fiction, the book opens on the day his close friend Pop, a celebrated
hunter, leaves Ernest in charge of the safari camp and news arrives of a
potential attack from a hostile tribe. Drama continues to build as his
wife, Mary, pursues the great black-maned lion that has become her
obsession, and Ernest becomes involved with a young African girl whom he
supposedly plans to take as a second bride. Increasingly enchanted by the
local African community, he struggles between the attraction of these two
women and the wildly different cultures they represent. Spicing his
depictions of human longings with sharp humor, Hemingway captures the
excitement of big-game hunting and the unparalleled beauty of the
landscape. Rich in laughter, beauty, and profound insight. True at First
Light is an extraordinary publishing event—a breathtaking final work from
one of our most beloved and important writers.