I normally refrain from using this term. But, after a little discusion on it in the last post, I looked it up.
Here's the definition:
Idiot- An offensive term for somebody who has a psychiatric disorder or a learning problem but who is exceptionally gifted in one particular area, for example, rapid mental calculation, architectural drawing, or remembering facts.
I don't know much about Hemmingway. I never liked anything he wrote, and I know he had some issues. So, I don't know if the term applies or not.
Some people say he is "exceptionally gifted." I wonder if, like beauty, talent is in the eye of the beholder?