Ernest Hemingway belongs to the triumvirate of the three greatest writers from America’s golden age of literature, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner, but little is known about his religious faith.

Celebrated for The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea and many other award-winning literary works, he is also remembered for his machismo and spirit of adventure: a big game hunter, deep sea fisher, boxer, avid swimmer and skier, outdoorsman, and bull fighting aficionado with a bevy of friends—many of whom were well-known celebrities that he enjoyed drinking and socializing with.

In addition, and perhaps surprisingly, Hemingway was deeply though quietly religious. In his writing, Hemingway consistently drew on his spirituality, the wellspring of which, besides his strong Christian upbringing, was his Catholic faith to which he converted during World War I at age 18. Previous biographers have either ignored this story or told it incompletely or inaccurately. This book seeks to fill the void and paint a portrait that reveals the real Hemingway, and the deep motivations and inspirations that left an indelible imprint on his life, his relationships, and his writing.