I realized, as I neared the end of last month, that while I was reading the epically long "Team of Rivals," I hadn't actually read an entire book in the month of April as my New Year's Resolution dictated. So I picked up "The Paris Wife," which Brad had given me for my birthday, on a Friday morning & couldn't put it down until late Saturday - luckily for me May 1st wasn't until Sunday!
Wow. What a book. The writing is beautiful & moving & crass & honest. This book tells the story of Ernest Hemingway & his first wife, Hadley. They meet, marry & move to Paris in just a few short months. Hemingway has not yet made a name for himself as a writer & the book tells of his struggles with his own ego & desire to be a famous writer & her struggles to make their difficult marriage work. Set in the roaring 1920's, fictional characters based on writers from that time appear throughout the novel - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein. You may already know that Hemingway had a love for drinking & women, both of which paint a less than desirable picture of his character in this book. You're rooting for Hadley by the end, even though you know things are going to turn out badly.
Wow. What a book. The writing is beautiful & moving & crass & honest. This book tells the story of Ernest Hemingway & his first wife, Hadley. They meet, marry & move to Paris in just a few short months. Hemingway has not yet made a name for himself as a writer & the book tells of his struggles with his own ego & desire to be a famous writer & her struggles to make their difficult marriage work. Set in the roaring 1920's, fictional characters based on writers from that time appear throughout the novel - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein. You may already know that Hemingway had a love for drinking & women, both of which paint a less than desirable picture of his character in this book. You're rooting for Hadley by the end, even though you know things are going to turn out badly.
If you're a Hemingway fan, this book is definitely worth a read. If you enjoy historical fiction &/or Paris, you'll enjoy the descriptions of the vibrant city in this book. If you enjoy good writing & easy reading, this book is worth picking up.
