Author: Paula McLain
Nominated by: ShirlE Erickson
Fiction
The story of Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's first wife. From extensive research of their biographies, letters, & Hemingway's novels, Paula McLain imagines the story, from Hadley's point of view. The known facts are blended together with credible inference, to create a plausible depiction of their tender, passionate, & stormy love & marriage. Hadley & Ernest came from similar upper middle class backgrounds - she a musician, & he a journalist/would be author. At 21, he is a damaged & mind tortured veteran of WW1, needy, talented, & egocentric. They join other ex-patriots in Paris, in the early 1920s. The scene is romantic & colorful. Relationships are exciting, & shocking. Under incredible challenges, Hadley supports Earnest, at the beginning of his career, before he becomes famous. Partially from an Amazon review. Rated 4 & 5 stars by most reviewers.
More: New York Times