Tom, most if not all of Hemingway's biographers are pretty frank about his heavy drinking, and the devastating effect his alcoholism had on his health and his career. And yes, he was not above striking his spouse, as evidenced by writings by Mary Hemingway, and letters from/to Pauline Hemingway.
I remember reading Hemingway's introduction to "The First Forty-Nine Stories", and being saddened that although he promised many more, hardly any were written. He was in his late 40's at the time of that writing. Boozing pretty much finished him over the next decade or so.
