First line: Though I often looked for one, I finally had to admit that there could be no cure for Paris.
From the inside cover: In Chicago in 1920, Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness – until she meets Ernest Hemingway and finds herself captivated by his good looks, intensity, and passionate desire to write. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group of expatriates that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
But the hard-drinking and fast-living cafe life does not celebrate traditional notions of family and monogamy. As Hadley struggles with jealousy and self-doubt and Ernest wrestles with his burgeoning writing career, they must confront a deception that could prove the undoing of one of the great romances in literary history.
My thoughts: I have to admit that I was not very familiar with the life of Ernest Hemingway and his life. Yes, I had read a few of his works in school, but I do not remember anything about his wife, or more accurately, his wives.
The Paris Wife is about Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley. It is Hadley’s version of her courtship and marriage to Ernest and their life in Paris, Spain, the Austrian Alps and elsewhere in Europe in the 1920s. It is a story of love, temptation and betrayal. Paula McLain paints a great picture of what life as a struggling writer – a writer who happened to have wealthy friends – was like. Despite the fact that Ernest and Hadley were living off of Hadley’s inheritance and small jobs Ernest had as a reporter, they managed to travel quite extensively. Several of these trips became the basis for Hemingway’s novel, The Sun Also Rises. We are also given glimpses into the salons of famous writers like Ezra Pound, Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein, where Ernest would sit with the writers and Hadley would be relegated to conversations with the other ‘wives’. As I was reading this, I felt drawn into the life of literary Paris during the twenties. I could vividly picture the struggles that Hemingway dealt with as he got his writing career going along with the awkward position Hadley finds herself in as she realizes the type of man she has married.
I really enjoyed A Paris Wife and look forward to reading more not only by Paula McLain but also more about Hadley and more about the other wives of Ernest Hemingway.
About the author: Paula McLain received an MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan and has been a resident of Yaddo and the MacDowell Colony. She is the author of two collections of poetry, as well as a memoir, Like Family, and a first novel, A Ticket to Ride. She lives in Cleveland with her family. You can visit Paula McLain’s website to learn more about The Paris Wife at www.pariswife.com.
I received a complimentary copy of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain from Pump Up Your Book Promotion as part of the tour.
Giveaway Information:
The publisher has provided one copy of The Paris Wife to give away to one of my readers. Entries are open to those from the US and Canada.
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Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!
GIVEAWAY ENDS
AT 6 PM, EST, MARCH 16th
I really enjoy books that are based on real people. You definitely piqued my interest in this one.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow with GFC
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
I have been looking at this book for a while and would love to win a copy of it!
I also follow with GFC!
I also added a link to this giveaway in my sidebar at handsandhome.blogspot.com
Thanks for the great review of Paula's book. So glad you enjoyed it. I'm reading it for her tour too. Good luck to all who enter the giveaway.
Cheryl
I always like reading biographies. It is always interesting to me to read the behind the scenes account of their lives. I would love to read this book.
iowagramma.ann[at]gmail.com
I am also a follower of your blog.
iowagramma.ann[at]gmail.com
I have added a link to my sidebar.
iowagramma.ann[at]gmail.com
Thanks for the giveaway…GFC follower
hnwhitlock2000atgmaildotcom
Wonderful review! I don't know much about Hemingway's life but this sounds like a great way to catch a glimpse.
suko95(at)gmail(dot)com
I am a follower, and also have your terrific blog listed in my blogroll. 🙂
Kristin, I will post this in my blog's sidebar. 🙂
I have been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it a few weeks ago. Your review is just building the anticipation for me!
kristen.novak09 @ gmail.com
I also follow your blog.
Thank you for the giveaway. I really want to read The Paris Wife so I'm glad to hear that you liked it.
jmartinez0415 [at] gmail [dot] com
Also, I'm a GFC follower.
jmartinez0415 [at] gmail [dot] com
I would love to read this book—please enter me to win!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
THE PARIS WIFE is high up on my wish list. I love reading about this time period, and I think this book offers an interesting perspective. I couldn't have been easy to have been Hemingway's wife, even if it was fascinating. Thanks for the chance to win a copy – I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com
+1 I'm a Follower.
geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com
+1 posted on my sidebar at aseaofbooks.blogspot.com/
geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com
This book looks really interesting.
Lisa, bell198@aol.com
I would love to read this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
This book sounds intriguing. Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
new blog follower via GFC
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Sounds fascinating!
JHS
Colloquium
jhsmail at comcast dot net
GFC follower!
JHS
Colloquium
jhsmail at comcast dot net
Thanks for the giveaway. I really want to read this book.
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I also follow you through google reader.
mommysreading at dassaro dot net
The Paris Wife is on my wishlist, so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. The author is local, I just read in the newspaper a few weeks ago and would love to win a copy of this book.
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I am a GFC Follower!
redladysreadingroomATgmailDOTcom
Sounds like a great story! Count me in, please.
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I follow with Google Friend Connect (not new). riverboat38[at]hotmail.com
This sounds great 🙂
jesse.nicole.paul[at]gmail.com
I'm a follower 🙂
jesse.nicole.paul[at]gmail.com
Already a follower, but would love this book…. I recently posted it on my wishlist!
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Please count me in!
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Google follower!
delilah0180ATyahooDOTcom
I really want to read that book!
This looks like an intriguing read.
Thanks for the giveaway!
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New follower via GFC under AEK
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