Hemingway was an avid reader and in various places cites the following writers as influences: Ring Lardner, Jack London, Leo Tolstoy, Sherwood Andersen, Theodore Dreiser, Knut Hamsun, Pio Baroja and the style manual of the Kansas City Star where he began his career as a journalist. The manual instructed,
"Use short sentences. Use Short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English, Be positive, not negative."
"Use short sentences. Use Short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English, Be positive, not negative."