Title: The Paris Wife
By: Paula McLain
About the Author (From the Book):
Paula McLain is the author of a
memoir, Like Family; a novel, A Ticket to Ride, and two volumes of poetry. She
lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her family.
ISBN: 9781844086689
Cover Price: Rs.
395.00
Rating: 5/5
Something about the book (from the Book’s cover):
Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is
a shy twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness when
she meets Ernest Hemmingway and is captivated by his energy, intensity and
burning ambition. After a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail
for France. But glamorous Jazz Age Pairs, full of artists and writers, fuelled
by alcohol and gossip, is no place for family life and fidelity. Ernest and
Hadley’s marriage begins to founder, and the birth of a beloved son only drives
them further apart. Then, at last, Ernest’s ferocious literary endeavours bring
him recognition – not least from a woman intent on making him her own...
Now for my View:
There was just something about this
book that caught my fancy from the moment I put my hand on it. The cover with a
woman seated in a cafe probably somewhere in Paris dressed in clothes
symbolising the early 1900s was enticing enough to draw me towards it. Perhaps
it’s the allure of the times when life was tough yet satisfying and regal yet
unpretentious that I greatly love. Tales set in that period always manage to become my
precious possessions and I must admit happily that this was not an exception either. Sherlock Holmes or now the Paris
Wife, the life and times of the black and white era are definitely my all
time favourite.
The
Paris Wife is about Hadley Richardson the first Wife of Ernest Hemmingway.
She was twenty eight when she met Hemmingway who was years younger than her.
The magic and the exuberance of Hemmingway drew her towards him. His passion
for writing and the zeal with which he pursued his dream attracted her instantly. After a traumatic childhood, Hadley had already given up on love
when Hemmingway walked into her life. But all that changed and they married
after a brisk courtship. But that was just the beginning of their story, their eternal
tale or was it?
The story is set around the time
when the visionaries of the literary world had all gathered in Paris for that
was the most throbbing scene of art and culture. Hadley and Hemmingway too
ventured towards Paris around that time with the sole goal of realising the
latter’s dream. The story is about Hadley who was a loving wife who not only
adored her husband greatly but made his dream her own too. She accepted him
along with his erratic schedules of writing and her long hours of seclusion while
he was on his writing high.
Alcohol, gossip, affairs,
complicated relationships and the intricate minds of artists were beyond the
simplicity of Hadley who was just a down-to-earth woman. All she desired was a life with
her husband, a child and probably a happily ever after. But Hemmingway was
nothing like her. He didn’t want to be tied down by domestic responsibilities
infact he wasn’t even ready for their own child. Surely he needed Hadley as he
was insecure in many ways but there was nothing traditional about his bond with
her. He needed her to write as he was incapable of writing when alone. On top
of that his alienating nature made Hadley his sole strength in his days of
struggle. But all that changed when he began to receive attention and
popularity. Infidelity seeped in and Hadley’s relationship with him was
challenged by another woman. But she probably knew that was destined to happen, it wasn't really a surprise for her.
The book is a must read for its
language, the nuances of the descriptions of Hadley’s feelings, the
paraphernalia and the fact that it is the true story of the characters in
question. So I recommend it to one and all. It is a book that cannot be left
unread.
Perhaps if Hadley wouldn’t have married Ernest Hemmingway, this book
would have never been written. But I am glad it was and though at first it
might seem that she was a woman without ambition at the end of it all you realise
that she was just like any other woman, any other wife. And it need not be told that a wife, a woman is
never weak, never without ambition. The book is about a woman who gave up a lot
for the man she loved. The book is about the strength of a woman, the strength
that a man could never possess, whether at that enchanting time or in the present day.
A word about the great people from
mysmartprice.com who made it possible
for me to read this book. I am glad that I am part of their review program. They don’t just send you any book but the best books out there that one could get their
hands on. You can find this and more amazing books on their
website.