The Paris Wife

A Francophile and a writer, I loved this insight into one of America's most famous authors life. Hemingway's first marriage, his philanderings, his insecurities, his neuroses, his dreams. What I most appreciated was learning about Paris in the 20s and this intense relationship through his wife's eyes. The entire cast of characters--Gertrude Stein and Alice, Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda, Ezra Pound and others--came to life. The descriptions of the streets, the food and drunken states, the sex and challenging of boundaries and social norms, the frivality and youth were well written, rich and vivid. Most of all, the struggle to… show more.

I’ve only been to Paris one time, but I feel as if I’ve been many times because I toured this city with Paula McLain and the story of Hadley Hemingway, Ernest’s first and most beloved wife. From the cafes to the cobbled streets to the parlors and apartments, I was engrossed. 

This is the wild story of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife. Hadley was a quiet twenty-eight-year-old woman who had given up on love until she met Ernest. Their whirlwind romance was ill-prepared for the fast living of Jazz Age Paris. It is a beautiful portrayal of love and loyalty, of… show more.

This was the book that made me want to write historical fiction about real people.

It’s the story of Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson, who supported him while he was trying to establish himself as a writer. She steps from the pages as a sympathetic, relatable young woman desperately trying to be a good wife to a man who frankly doesn’t deserve her. The Paris Wife brings Hadley to life in the way that biographies sticking to fact never could, and I adored it!

If you’re curious about Paris of the 1920s, check it out through Hadley Richardson’s eyes.

In this fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway’s first marriage, we get to know a woman who is not only supportive, but complex, compassionate, and strong. We see Hemingway in a way never seen before. McLain makes her readers care deeply about Ernest and Hadley—only to witness the deterioration of their marriage.

This novel is about Americans in Paris, actually many of them…and most of them are famous. The Paris Wife follows Hadley (Richardson) Hemmingway and her time in Paris with her husband Ernest, the famous writer. Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald pay calls on the Hemmingway household, along with Fitzgerald’s wild wife, Zelda. This novel is a celebration of Americans in Paris and touches on themes such as the artist's calling and how motherhood can change a marriage. Hadley is a compelling and sympathetic character and seeing Paris in the 1920s through her eyes is a magical experience.