Unique in the intermountain West, this residency provides time and space in an historic house and a spectacular natural landscape.
Discover what past residents have said about their experiences in Ernest Hemingway’s final home—a space of tremendous literary significance and natural beauty.
“In the Hemingway House, I finished one novel and started another, walked and fished the Big Wood River, and reread In Our Time, which will stand up to any number of readings. The time and space and encouragement to write is such a rare and precious gift. I am so very grateful to The Community Library and the Ernest and Mary Hemingway House for supporting writers and building such a robust literary community.”
~Anna Cartij, Author of Leda and the Swan, assistant professor at Boise State University, and editor-in-chief of the Idaho Review.
~Peter Kline
Poet and author of Mirrorforms and Deviants
“What a golden snowcapped June! The tanagers flurrying through the spruce, the deer grazing on the terrace, the slow-motion sideways rain of cottonwood seeds, the shadows bulking the hills as evening came, and the feeling of Hemingway close. And all of these matched by the kind care of the folks at The Community Library and the heartfelt welcome of Ketchum. I wrote and thought much, and left already yearning to return.”
~Brittany Perham
Poet and author of Double Portrait and The Curiosities
“There was June snow, then it was summer, then it rained cottonwood seeds, then it rained, and one thing was more beautiful than the next. Through all of this I was in the back room study, in the dark, under one lamp, writing. It was glorious. Also glorious: coming out of that room to the sweet welcome of the Library staff and the Ketchum community, friends I hope to know for a long time.”
~Javier Zamora, Author of Solito: A Memoir
“I didn’t expect a dry spell after publishing Solito, but the Hemingway House has gifted me the inspiration I needed to replenish my creative well. I am forever thankful for the time, space, and especially the Hailey and Sun Valley community (Wood River/ Hemingway students and teachers), who have reminded me of why I keep returning to the page—to create mirrors through which others can see their reflections.”
Photo credit: Gerardo del Valle
~Dana Genshaft, Dancer, Choreographer, Educator, and Artistic Director at SFDanceworks, winner of the prestigious Princess Grace Award for choreography in 2018.
“I am not a writer but a dancer, and yet the Hemingway House has stirred the well of creativity in more ways than one. This place invites one to list and hear nature’s great orchestra, to observe and witness the transitions of time, and to express by any means the gratitude one feels for the gift of being alive. Music sounds better here, books enchant more, and the desire to dance is ever present. Thank you to all the lovely people I met, for the inspiration.”
~Sarah Sentilles, writer, teacher, critical theorist, scholar of religion, and author of many books, including Draw Your Weapons, which won the 2018 PEN Award for Creative Nonfiction.
“My residency at the Hemingway House was a gift in every way. The quiet, the views, the river, the accommodations, and the time alone to think, to write, to read, to rest–all of it!–created space for huge breakthroughs in my writing. I understand my next manuscript in a way that would not have been possible without this retreat. I am so very grateful to The Community Library for making it possible and for all you do to support writers and readers and books.”
~Austin Smith, author of two poetry collections, Almanac and Flyover Country, both published through the Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets. He has received National Endowment for the Arts and Wallace Stegner fellowships in prose, and the Amy Lowell Traveling Scholarship in poetry. He teaches at Stanford University and lives in San Francisco.
“My time at Hemingway House was the perfect balance of inspiration and contemplation. It was deeply moving to see where one of my favorite writers spent his last years, while the experience also offered me some much-longed-for solitude and silence. I also had the honor of sharing my love for one of Hemingway’s most famous stories, Big Two-Hearted River, with community members. I left Ketchum feeling deeply grateful, and renewed— creatively and spiritually.”
~Molly Guptill Manning, author, historian, curator, and associate professor of law at New York Law School. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II.
“My Hemingway House residency provided the perfect environment to work on my next book while being surrounded by the natural beauty of Idaho and the aura of the Hemingways. I savored the experience, wrote more than expected, and left feeling inspired and restored. This was a dream opportunity that I hope to have again.” Watch the replay of Molly’s presentation of When Books Went to War.
~Francsico Cantú, writer, translator, and the author of The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches From the Border, winner of the 2018 Los Angeles Times Book Prize and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in nonfiction. Photo credit: David Taylor
“I had such a wonderful, contemplative, productive residency, and am so grateful to the Library for making space for me to return to the Hemingway House. My new year couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.”
Amy Tara Koch, frequent contributor to publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler and The Telegraph.
“These two plus weeks chez Hemingway were magical. The opportunity to clear and cleanse my mind in a tranquil, inspired setting allowed me to create a framework for the coming months. Thank you, thank you!”
Kim Cross, New York Times Best-Selling author, journalist, and historian. She discussed her new book, In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America’s Child.
“Uninterrupted time to write in solitude is the greatest gift I have ever been given, and this residency was one of the most special. An architect once told me that houses die when they’re uninhabited. What a wonderful way you have found to keep this house and its spirit alive… I got to talk about one book during my visit and begin writing another. Thank you for making this possible!”
Rajiv Joseph, Pulitzer Prize finalist, two-time Obie Award winner, and 2023 Sun Valley Playwright’s Resident, in residence at the Ernest and Mary Hemingway House
“For three weeks I worked, and I sat and looked at the trees and I listened to the river, and I hiked and I cooked and I talked to myself and to whoever else might have been listening. What a beautiful home in a beautiful space in a beautiful state.”
Rajiv was in conversation with in conversation with Martha Williams, The Community Library’s Programs and Education Director. Watch the replay here.
Jordan Salama, author of Stranger in the Desert: A Family Story and Every Day the River Changes
“I’m so very grateful to the amazing people of the Wood River Valley–from lifelong residents to newcomers from Latin America–thank you for your kindness and willingness to share your stories, invite me into your homes, and support my work. It’s been a little while since I was last a stranger in an entirely new community, and I’ve once more been reminded of how good it can feel. And especially to Martha and Jenny and the entire Community Library team: what an amazing program and place you have built!”
Jordan discussed his book Stranger in the Desert: A Family Story (released February 2024) at The Community Library in September 2023. Watch the Replay here.
Christian Winn, 2016-2019 Idaho Writer in Residence and author of Naked Me and What’s Wrong with You is What’s Wrong With Me
“The Hemingway House. What a peaceful, gorgeous, truly perfect place to write. Before my time as a resident here, I’ve certainly sat down, stood up, or lay sidelong to write in many, many singular, poetic, galvanizing places – a dock above the mouth of the Columbia River, San Francisco Chinatown alleyways, the front seat of my beat VW campervan in stopped traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, my first apartment’s balcony with a sliver view of Seattle’s Lake Union, a red-cliff perch above an Idaho ghost town.
But, I have to say, for me the Hemingway House tops them all.”
Jared Farmer, geohumanist, writer, and history professor at Penn
“The silence of the stars and the music of the Big Wood River—not to mention Schubert and Mahler at the Pavilion—were beautifully conducive to my current writing projects on the sonic history of the Intermountain West. What a joy to return to Ketchum!”
Jared presented “How (Not) to Write a Book about Trees and Climate Change” at The Community Library in November 2021. Watch the replay here.
Jared returned to the Library in August 2023 with “Musical Landscapes of the Intermountain West.” Watch the replay here.
Alan Heathcock, author and “To Taste Life Twice” seminar instructor
“Thanks so much for having me. It was a lovely week and I got more work done in a few days than in the entire month prior. The apartment, the landscape, the trails, the community—the mix of solitude and local amenities made it a perfect residency. I really didn’t want to leave, and will definitely apply to come back for another visit.
“Cheers to the crew at the library. You all are doing amazing work for the literary community in Idaho and beyond.”
Peter Mann, graphic artist, cartoonist, and author of The Torqued Man
“The Hemingway House residency was a dream. I hacked my way through the hairy middle act of a novel, steeped myself in Hemingway’s work after a long time away (and was oddly moved and refreshed by it), and explored the winter beauty of the Wood River Valley.
“I was so impressed by the vibrancy of the Ketchum community that I dare say I fell in love. I’d love to come back to write more in that magical place, though I’m not sure how much writing I’ll do now that I’ve found my true calling as a cross-country skier.”
Watch Peter’s March 2023 program, The Torqued Man, on Vimeo here.
JJ Kapur, America AmeriCorps Fellows, serving with CultureALL
“When I first arrived at the Hemingway House, I saw my first elk. Then, I looked up. The wildflowers all over the hills looked like a scene straight from The Sound of Music!
This beautiful home and my subsequent workshop experiences at The Community Library felt like the breath of fresh air I didn’t know I needed.”
Rachel Louise Snyder, best-selling author of No Visible Bruises and Women We Buried, Women We Burned
“There is a spirit of generosity here that I don’t often feel. I’ve done about 175 lectures since 2019, and it’s rare to feel it. But I felt it here at The Community Library.”
In October 2022, Rachel presented No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us at The Community Library. Watch the replay here.
Rachel returned in February 2023 with Women We Buried, Women We Burned. Watch the replay here.
Mark Ott, Hemingway Scholar and author of Sea of Change
“I’m delighted to return to Ketchum. I met so many interesting, kind, passionate Hemingway enthusiasts here last Fall. It’s a special treat to be able to stay at the Hemingway House—a mysterious and powerful place to be.”
Mark Ott gave the opening keynote at the 2022 Ernest Hemingway Seminar, themed “Islands in the Stream.” More here about the Library’s annual Ernest Hemingway Seminar.
Carlos Lecanda, papier-mâché artist (pictured with his wife Eva)
“Spending a week at the Hemingway House in Ketchum, was a truly magical experience. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains and the quiet serenity of the region, I felt completely immersed in the rich history and spirit of Ernest Hemingway.
“The cozy atmosphere and charm made me feel right at home, and my wife and I were able to fully relax and recharge—a peaceful and inspiring getaway.”
Carlos is the artist behind the exhibit in the Library Foyer, “Las Catrinas: A Celebration of Mexican Culture,” part of the 2023 Winter Read: Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine.
Mike Medberry, author of On The Dark Side of the Moon: A Journey Toward Recovery
“Living in the Hemingway House in November as the Writer-in-Residence was a great gift to me and I didn’t want to waste any moment while I was there. I saw many of my old friends, worked with an editor on my next book, wrote daily observations, and compared them—foolishly—to what Hemingway had written. After all that was why I was there: to write and to learn. The following is one short bit of my writing that captured my feelings of that stay in November.”
A skiff of snow fell last night in the Big Wood River drainage, casting a frosty layer over the Hemingway House and on the Boulder Mountains beyond. Footprints aimed toward the far away mountains: were they left by the ghost of Hemingway or just a solitary soul walking out and away?
Martyna Majok, Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist and 2022 Sun Valley Playwright’s Resident
“I felt immensely fortunate and grateful to have gotten to spend writing, thinking, and resting time in the beautiful Hemingway House. It was a genuinely magical time full of new ideas, new friends, and wonderful, surprise animal encounters.
“What a joy and a privilege to get to know the community of Ketchum. I can’t wait to return.”
Jonna Mendez, author, former Chief of Disguise of at the CIA
“You are at the very top of my list these days as the custodians of the most wonderful place where I have spent any significant time.
“The Hemingway House was like a dreamscape, untethered from almost all of life‘s distractions. I was able to focus, like never before, on some aspects of this memoir that I am writing. I couldn’t have done that in my normal life. . . I found numerous doors open to me only because of you and the Library. Thank you for taking such good care of me!”
Mendez captivated a full house at the Library with her behind-the-scenes presentation on ARGO, the story of the daring rescue of six individuals from Iran in 1979.
You can check out ARGO—the film, e-book, e-audiobook or print book—in our collection here.
John Maclean, journalist and author of Home Waters: A Chronicle of Family and a River
“Bugling elk in the evening. Rainbow trout in the Big Wood River just down the hill. A Library staff eager to make wonderful things happen, such as locating relevant materials no one else has used. Hours and hours of quiet to absorb what Hemingway himself experienced. What an incredible gift!”
The Boy, the War, and the Big Two-Hearted River: While in residence at the Hemingway House, John Maclean presented a new piece he’s writing for a book of essays celebrating the centennial of Ernest Hemingway’s short story, Big Two-Hearted River. Watch the Replay here.
Ali Noorani, author of Crossing Borders
“The opportunity to serve as a Hemingway Writer-in-Residence could not have come at a better time. Through its stewardship of the Hemingway House, thoughtful public programming and incredible support for the entirety of the community, the Ketchum Community Library is a treasure. I am incredibly grateful for the time I spent in Ketchum.”
Ali Noorani joined us in June 2022 to discuss his book, Crossing Borders: A Conversation on Reconciling our Nation of Immigrants. He was joined by Bob Naerebout of the Idaho Dairyman’s Association and Zeze Rwasama of the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center in a conversation about immigration in southern Idaho.
Admiral James Stavridis, Ph.D., Four Star U.S. Naval Officer, Retired
“As a lifelong student of Ernest Hemingway, it was a true privilege to serve as a writer in the residence this summer. I was able to work at his final home in a quiet, serene setting, focused on my latest novel, in which he appears as a minor but important character in the 1930s and 1940s. Papa was with me …”
The Library is home to several titles from James Stavridis, including To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision (2022).
Ariel Delgado Dixon, author of Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You
“Returning to Idaho has been a dreamy, full-circle experience after graduating Boise State’s MFA in 2019.
“Now that I’m working on my second novel—which happens to be set in the West—having the dedicated space and time to get my appetite going on a new project is no small thing.
“I’m very grateful to be surrounded by such inspiring vistas, warm and accommodating folks who support the arts, and a historic setting to crack open this next book.”
Ariel joined us in May 2022 to discuss her debut novel, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You, “one of the most anticipated books of 2022.”
Craig Johnson, author of the “Longmire” series
“Ensconced in the haunts of the Hemingway House and writing the keynote for the International Hemingway Association Conference while there was a synchronicity of art and environs that made my speech possible.
“I will always be grateful for the wonderful opportunity of staying there.”
Craig joined us in May 2022 to discuss the wildly popular “Longmire” book collection and Netflix series, and his newest release, Daughter of the Morning Star. Watch the replay on Vimeo here.
Heather Hansman, author of Down River and Powder Days.
“There are two major things you need to be able to write successfully: time and inspiration, and neither of them is easy to find. My stay at the Hemingway House gave me both, in spades. The views didn’t hurt, either.”
Heather was in conversation with the Library’s executive director, Jenny Emery Davidson, at The Community Library in March 2022. Watch the replay of “How Does Water Matter in the West?” here.
Richard Blanco, U.S. 2013 Inaugural Poet
“While staying here at Hemingway’s house, I learned to see another side of him. Not the bon vivant, charismatic, larger-than-life figure…but really as a vulnerable human being who, like all of us, struggle with the same big life questions…”
Photo: 2020 Hemingway Distinguished Lecturer, Richard Blanco, recites his poem, “Metaphors at Big Wood River.”
