This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(February 2024)
"For sale: baby shoes, never worn." is a six-word story, popularly attributed to Ernest Hemingway, although the link to him is unlikely.[1][2] Versions of the story date back to the early 1900s, and it was being reproduced and expanded upon within a few years of its initial publication.[1][3] The first known connection to Hemingway was made in 1991, 30 years after his death.[1] The story is one of the most famous examples of flash fiction.
A six-word story regarding a pair of baby shoes is considered an extreme example of flash fiction.This May 16, 1910 article from The Spokane Press recounts an earlier advertisement that struck the author as particularly tragic.
The story is in the form of a classified ad, and suggests a larger narrative involving miscarriage, sudden infant death, or abandoned plans for a child.[1]
Claimedit
The claim of Hemingway's authorship originates in an unsubstantiated anecdote about a wager among him and other writers. Hemingway is said to have claimed he could write a short story only six words short. In a 1991 letter to Canadian humorist John Robert Colombo, science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke recounts: "He's [Hemingway] supposed to have won a $10 bet (no small sum in the '20s) from his fellow writers. They paid up without a word. ... Here it is. I still can't think of it without crying— FOR SALE. BABY SHOES. NEVER WORN."[1]
Historyedit
Versions of the story date back to as early as 1906.[1] The May 16, 1910, edition of The Spokane Press had an article titled "Tragedy of Baby's Death is Revealed in Sale of Clothes."[3][1]
In 1917, William R. Kane published a piece in a periodical called The Editor where he outlined the basic idea of a grief-stricken woman who had lost her baby and even suggested the title of Little Shoes, Never Worn.[2] In his version of the story, the shoes are being given away rather than sold. He suggests that this would provide some measure of solace for the owner, as it would mean that another baby would at least benefit directly.[4]
By 1921, the story was already being parodied: the July issue of Judge that year published a version that used a baby carriage instead of shoes; there, however, the narrator described contacting the seller to offer condolences, only to be told that the sale was due to the birth of twins rather than of a single child.[1]
The earliest known connection to Hemingway was in 1991, thirty years after the author's death.[1] This attribution was in a book by Peter Miller called Get Published! Get Produced!: A Literary Agent's Tips on How to Sell Your Writing. He said he was told the story by a "well-established newspaper syndicator" in 1974.[5] In 1992, John Robert Colombo printed a letter from Arthur C. Clarke that repeated the story, complete with Hemingway having won $10 each from fellow writers.[1]
This connection to Hemingway was reinforced by a one-man play called Papa by John De Groot, which debuted in 1996. Set during a Life magazine photo session in 1959, De Groot has the character utter the phrase as a means of illustrating Hemingway's brevity.[1] In Playbill, De Groot defended his portrayal of Hemingway by saying, "Everything in the play is based on events as described by Ernest Hemingway, or those who knew him well. Whether or not these things actually happened is something we'll never know truly. But Hemingway and many others claimed they did."[6]
Legacyedit
Telling a story in very few words was dubbed flash fiction in 1992. The six-word limit in particular has spawned the concept of Six-Word Memoirs,[7] including a collection published in book form in 2008 by Smith Magazine, and two sequels published in 2009.
^ abcdefghijkGarson O'Toole (January 28, 2013). "For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never Worn". quoteinvestigator.com. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
^ abHaglund, David (Jan 31, 2013). "Did Hemingway Really Write His Famous Six-Word Story?". Slate. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
^ ab"Tragedy of Baby's Death is Revealed in Sale of Clothes". The Spokane Press. May 16, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
^Kane, William R. (February 24, 1917). "untitled". The Editor: The Journal of Information for Literary Workers, Volume 45, number 4. pp. 175–176. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
^Miller, Peter (Mar 1, 1991). Get Published! Get Produced!: A Literary Agent's Tips on How to Sell Your Writing. SP Books. p. 27. ISBN9781561710072.
^Mikkelson, David; Mikkelson, Barbara (29 October 2008). "Baby Shoes". Snopes.com. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
^"Six-Word Memoirs Can Say It All". CBS News. February 26, 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
January 01, 1970
sale, baby, shoes, never, worn, this, article, lead, section, short, adequately, summarize, points, please, consider, expanding, lead, provide, accessible, overview, important, aspects, article, february, 2024, word, story, popularly, attributed, ernest, hemin. This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article February 2024 For sale baby shoes never worn is a six word story popularly attributed to Ernest Hemingway although the link to him is unlikely 1 2 Versions of the story date back to the early 1900s and it was being reproduced and expanded upon within a few years of its initial publication 1 3 The first known connection to Hemingway was made in 1991 30 years after his death 1 The story is one of the most famous examples of flash fiction A six word story regarding a pair of baby shoes is considered an extreme example of flash fiction This May 16 1910 article from The Spokane Press recounts an earlier advertisement that struck the author as particularly tragic Contents 1 Setting 2 Claim 3 History 4 Legacy 5 See also 6 ReferencesSetting editThe story is in the form of a classified ad and suggests a larger narrative involving miscarriage sudden infant death or abandoned plans for a child 1 Claim editThe claim of Hemingway s authorship originates in an unsubstantiated anecdote about a wager among him and other writers Hemingway is said to have claimed he could write a short story only six words short In a 1991 letter to Canadian humorist John Robert Colombo science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke recounts He s Hemingway supposed to have won a 10 bet no small sum in the 20s from his fellow writers They paid up without a word Here it is I still can t think of it without crying FOR SALE BABY SHOES NEVER WORN 1 History editVersions of the story date back to as early as 1906 1 The May 16 1910 edition of The Spokane Press had an article titled Tragedy of Baby s Death is Revealed in Sale of Clothes 3 1 In 1917 William R Kane published a piece in a periodical called The Editor where he outlined the basic idea of a grief stricken woman who had lost her baby and even suggested the title of Little Shoes Never Worn 2 In his version of the story the shoes are being given away rather than sold He suggests that this would provide some measure of solace for the owner as it would mean that another baby would at least benefit directly 4 By 1921 the story was already being parodied the July issue of Judge that year published a version that used a baby carriage instead of shoes there however the narrator described contacting the seller to offer condolences only to be told that the sale was due to the birth of twins rather than of a single child 1 The earliest known connection to Hemingway was in 1991 thirty years after the author s death 1 This attribution was in a book by Peter Miller called Get Published Get Produced A Literary Agent s Tips on How to Sell Your Writing He said he was told the story by a well established newspaper syndicator in 1974 5 In 1992 John Robert Colombo printed a letter from Arthur C Clarke that repeated the story complete with Hemingway having won 10 each from fellow writers 1 This connection to Hemingway was reinforced by a one man play called Papa by John De Groot which debuted in 1996 Set during a Life magazine photo session in 1959 De Groot has the character utter the phrase as a means of illustrating Hemingway s brevity 1 In Playbill De Groot defended his portrayal of Hemingway by saying Everything in the play is based on events as described by Ernest Hemingway or those who knew him well Whether or not these things actually happened is something we ll never know truly But Hemingway and many others claimed they did 6 Legacy editTelling a story in very few words was dubbed flash fiction in 1992 The six word limit in particular has spawned the concept of Six Word Memoirs 7 including a collection published in book form in 2008 by Smith Magazine and two sequels published in 2009 See also edit nbsp Literature portal Iceberg theory MinimalismReferences edit a b c d e f g h i j k Garson O Toole January 28 2013 For Sale Baby Shoes Never Worn quoteinvestigator com Retrieved 19 April 2013 a b Haglund David Jan 31 2013 Did Hemingway Really Write His Famous Six Word Story Slate Retrieved 14 April 2013 a b Tragedy of Baby s Death is Revealed in Sale of Clothes The Spokane Press May 16 1910 p 6 Retrieved December 9 2013 Kane William R February 24 1917 untitled The Editor The Journal of Information for Literary Workers Volume 45 number 4 pp 175 176 Retrieved 20 April 2013 Miller Peter Mar 1 1991 Get Published Get Produced A Literary Agent s Tips on How to Sell Your Writing SP Books p 27 ISBN 9781561710072 Mikkelson David Mikkelson Barbara 29 October 2008 Baby Shoes Snopes com Retrieved 14 April 2013 Six Word Memoirs Can Say It All CBS News February 26 2008 Retrieved 28 December 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title For sale baby shoes never worn amp oldid 1207775065, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
