The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This is a fictional account of Ernest Hemingway’s marriage to his first wife Hadley Richardson.  Hadley met and married Hemingway in Chicago before he was famous.  She has his child and caters to his every need trying to keep him happy.   However, Ernest is very attractive to women and Hadley’s friend Pauline Pfeiffer seduces him rather blatantly and becomes his second wife.  The author has done a good job of bringing the Paris of 1920’s to life.  Her portrayal of the famous jazz age expatriate authors and artists living and loving in Paris makes one think it is the center of the creative universe.  She has done thorough research. 

Did you know Gerald and Sara Murphy, famous for being the inspiration of Fitzgerald’s novel  Tender is the Night, were responsible for the French Riveria’s popularity and also for introducing sun tanning to the populace?  Good Read.

~Maggie

Request The Paris Wife from the Bangor Public Library