The Paris Wife

Ernest Hemingway is a well-known writer, but I didn't realize The Paris Wife is a fiction based on the research of his true story by Paula McLain. Of course I knew the story was about him, but I thought it was utterly based on the author's imagination!!, since I was never with the state of wonder about Ernest Hemingway.

Now, I'm thinking like,
'Are those characters in the book all real? Hemingway, his wife Hadely, Pauline, who had affair with him, editors, Picasso and even Scott Fitzgerald, All those name of publications mentioned in the book. Those famous authors and artists that all lived in a same era. Shockingly enough, they all knew and converse with each other.'

In my opinion, the book showed pretty much below things.

1. The glamor life - No doubt, it's Paris! It's funny how, the writer, as a job, can be portrayed as glamorous as it can be- the sip of the glass of wine, the l hang outs with friends who dress and talk and act chicly, some occasional parties and skies. To add to their fun, the bullfighting and horse race. I was particularly enticed by these scenes. + the suffrage writers in any eras face, financially and emotionally.

2. Travel  - As the title of the book already tells, the main stage was Paris. But the Hemingway couple or Hemingway himself frequently traveled to foreign countries to get him inspired and write and revise. 

3. Hemingway's endless and tireless, but the passionate writing - It was literally all about writing.

4. Hadley's love and support for him - When she was pervaded by the loneliness and emptiness caused by Hemingway's frequent absence, she persevered hard to make her husband succeed as a writer. Even though she had her own dream, to be professional in piano, she only pursued and cheered for Ernest's vision, as if that was her only hope. Wouldn't it be awesome to keep someone like Hadley all the time? Someone who's constantly telling you, 'you're going to make it through hard times no matter what' 

5. Lastly, the divorce part -This context was kind of a disproportionate part of the book.
The story just wrapped up with the divorce. It's like wrapping up the unfinished burger with aluminum foil, because you're running out of your lunch time.
It was very similar to what we have often seen or heard - the once poor/incompetent man has made a career and become famous. Now what? The man abandons his sacrificial wife and welcomes another woman with his open arms? 


I loved the charm of the setting. I was taken into the several exotic places and countries that the author invited me to. McLain did an awesome job.