Hadley Richardson is 29 years old when she meets a young Ernest Hemingway in Chicago in 1920. Following a whirlwind courtship, the couple are soon married, and are off to begin their life in Paris. It’s the Jazz Age in Paris, and the city is full of artists, writers, and beautiful people. Soon, their circle of friends includes the company of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. The couple aren’t quite prepared for the unusual lifestyles and heavy drinking of their peers, and while their wild behavior provides a bit of amusement, it soon takes its toll on their marriage.
As Ernest struggles to write and get his work published, Hadley has struggles of her own as she tries to be supportive of her husband and his work, and yet maintain a sense of her own identity. The couple is still very much in love, and when the betrayal comes, they are both shaken.
Drawing from Hemingway’s own memoir of his life in Paris, “A Movable Feast”, as well as other biographical sources, Ms. McLain has given us a glimpse into the Paris of the 1920’s, and into the mind and heart of one of the world’s greatest writers. As a love story, the tale of Hemingway’s marriage is sometimes sweet, often volatile, and a great read. I’m predicting that this one will be a book club favorite.
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