Ernest Hemingway is widely regarded as one of the most admired American novelists. His personal life, on the other hand, is no less fascinating. A fierce, hard-drinking, larger-than-life character who hunts big game on the savannah, cheers on toreadors, covers conflicts, and always, always writes. Hemingway's work is characterized by its minimalist style and direct, simple language. His novels are known for their easy reading pace and his ability to transform daily life into art. He was born on fourth of July 1899 in near Milan, Michigan and he died on first of January 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho. He was 56 years old. His wife, Mary Welsh, and son, John, were at his side when he died. Hemingway started writing at an early age and published his first story while still a student at Harvard University. After graduating, he moved to Paris where he worked as a reporter for the "Toronto Star". He later traveled across Europe reporting on war zones and other interesting places before returning to Paris where he began writing full time. His first novel, This Side of Paradise, was published when he was 24 years old. It was followed by another seven books over the next few years. In 1940, he went back to Italy to live among the Italians and report on the country's future for the Office of War Information.