"Gertrude Stein really thought of Hemingway as frail. He almost married Stein"

Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway had a complicated relationship. Stein was a coach to Hemingway, and she was a major influence on his writing. Nevertheless, Stein also had a low opinion of Hemingway, seeing him as "frail" and not especially talented. In spite of this, Hemingway was obsessed with Stein and even proposed marital relationship to her. Stein turned down the proposition, and the two stayed pals, albeit with a stretched relationship. Stein's opinion of Hemingway was likely a combination of admiration and frustration, as she saw potential in him but felt he was not measuring up to it.