Chicago, 1920. Hadley Richardson, a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, meets the first love of her life --Ernest Hemingway. Together their journey from America's roaring 20's to the avant garde streets of Paris are reconstructed in Paula McLain's biographical novel The Paris Wife (2010). Their encounters and friendships with icons such as Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and the Fitzgeralds bring this iconic era alive and this book gives voice to the woman who supported Hemingway through his failures to stardom but who very few truly knew.
Reviews of the Paris Wife
Deutsch, S. Washington Times Book Review: "The Paris Wife," The Washington Times, May 20, 2011.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/20/book-review-the-paris-wife/
Reynolds, S. Los Angeles Times: "Book Review: The Paris Wife," Los Angeles Times, March 19, 2011.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/19/entertainment/la-et-0319-book-20110319
Interviews and blogs with Paula McLain
Neary, L. National Public Radio: "'The Paris Wife' Dives Into Hemingway's First Big Love," NPR.Org,March 01, 2011.
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/01/134132944/the-paris-wife-dives-into-hemingways-first-big-love
McLain, P. Hemingway's Wives, Huffington Post, May 29, 2012.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-mclain/post_3424_b_1553339.html
Random House of Canada, "Paula McLain on Reviving Ernest Hemingway and the Paris Wife," Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR6bfEvYLEo
About Hadley Richardson
Diliberto, G. (2011). Paris without end: the true story of Hemingway's first wife. New York: Harper Perennial.
Diliberto, G. (2009). More to Hemingway's first wife, Hadley, than a Moveable Feast. The Chicago Tribune, July 12, 2009.
The Hemingway Project is a website devoted to the Life of Ernest Hemingway and
has information on Hadley Richardson including a large collection of sound
clips from interviews.
About Ernest Hemingway
About Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast is Ernest Hemingway's memoir of life in Paris in the 1920's, published posthumously. It is a perfect companion to The Paris Wife.
The Letters of Ernest Hemingway, 1923-1925 Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press
The Torrents of Spring, Hemingway's first novel was written shortly after the couple's arrival to Paris and many details of Hemingway's writing process during this publication is included in The Paris Wife.
Works about and by friends of Hadley and Hemingway's in The Paris Wife
Sherwood Anderson.
Anderson, S. (2012). Sherwood Anderson: collected stories. New York: Library of America. This is a collection of Sherwood Anderson's short stories, including his most influential work --Winesburg, Ohio.
Gertrude Stein.
Standhal, R. (1994). Gertrude Stein in words and pictures: a photobiography. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Through photographs and some of Stein's most famous works travel through France.
Stein, G. (1990). The autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. New York: The Modern Library. Stein's most famous work, she reflects on her life with Alice, told through Alice's eyes.
Scott Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald, F. (1953). The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner. Often hailed as the great American novel the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald's triumph, follows the elusive and wealthy Jay Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan
Fitzgerald, F. (1960). Six tales of the jazz age. New York: Scribner. A collection of Fitzgerald's short stories.
Meyers, J. (2014). Scott Fitzgerald: a biography.New York: Harper Perennial. A biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Zelda Fitzgerald.
Fowler, T. (2013). Z: A novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. New York: St. Martin's Press. Follow Zelda from New York to France as she abandons her strict upbringing for the flapper life and F. Scott Fitzgerald in this biographical novel.
Robuck, E. (2013). Call me Zelda. New York: New American Library. This story follows one of Zelda's friendships in her psychiatric home as she struggles to find her place in the shadow of her famed husband.
Spargo, R. (2013). Beautiful fools: the last affair of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald: a novel. New York: Overlook Duckworth, Peter Meyer Publishers, Inc. This story focuses on trying to salvage the marraige between Scott and Zelda as they journey through Cuba in the late 1930s.
Additional Works by Paula McLain
McLain, P. (2003). Like family: a memoir. Boston, MA: Little Brown & Co. This memoir reflects on life in foster care, growing up in other people's homes, the impact of abandonment by her parents, and the effects of dislocation.
McLain, P. (2008). Ticket to Ride. New York: Ecco. Set in the summer of 1973 two teenage cousins spend time together while one of them is wild and 'experienced' the other hopes her wild cousin will rub off on her.
Novels Similar to The Paris Wife
Benjamin, M. (2013). The Aviator's Wife: a novel. New York: Bantam Books.
Here, another biographical novel follows the life and marriage of Anne Morrow and Charles Lindbergh.
Cowell, S. (2011). Claude & Camille: a novel of Monet. New York: Broadway Paperbacks.
In this biographical love story learn about the deep friendship and love of Claude Monet and Camille during the struggles and rise of the famed Impressionist movement in France.
Here, another biographical novel follows the life and marriage of Anne Morrow and Charles Lindbergh.
Cowell, S. (2011). Claude & Camille: a novel of Monet. New York: Broadway Paperbacks.
In this biographical love story learn about the deep friendship and love of Claude Monet and Camille during the struggles and rise of the famed Impressionist movement in France.
Horan, Nancy. (2008). Loving Frank. New York: Ballantine Books.
Set thirteen years earlier than The Paris Wife Horan's novel tells the illicit love affair between Mamah Borthwick Cheney and architect Frank Lloyd Wright, also set in Paris.
In Hemingway's Girl readers will get a glimpse into his second marriage, after the split with Hadley Richardson.
Stories Set in France
Child, Julia. (2007). My Life in France. New York: Anchor Books. A memoir of Julia Child as she discusses her years in France where she learn to become one of the most famed chefs of her generation.
Gopnik, A. (2004). Americans in Paris: a literary anthology. New York: Library of America. This literary anthology has letters from famed Americans from P.T. Barnum to Cole Porter.
Gopnik, A. (2000). Paris to the moon. New York: Random House. Originally published in the New Yorker, this collection of essay examines life in France and the cultural differences for Americans living abroad.
Mayle, Peter (1998). Chasing Cezanne. New York: Vintage Books. An art heist in France, chasing Cezanne comes with humor and traveling in and out of the South of France.
McCullough, D. (2011). The Greater journey: Americans in Paris. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press. A generation before Hemingway, this book explores famous Americans of the 18th century who arrived to France and achieved their fame and success abroad rather than in the States.
Mercer, J. (2005). Time was soft there: a Paris sojourn at Shakespeare & Co. New York: St. Martin's Press. In the Left Bank sits one of the oldest bookstores in the world. Mercer accounts his time working and living at the book store.
Rowlands, P. (2011). Paris was ours: thirty-two writers reflect on the city of light. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Essays by writers such as Diane Johnson, Stacy Schiff, and French bloggers.
Rutherford, E. (2013). Paris: a novel. New York: Random House. Spanning multiple generations through epic histories of France this story brings the reader all the way to the late 1960s with special attention given to the lost generation writers of the 1920's.
Americans Abroad
Stories Set in France
Child, Julia. (2007). My Life in France. New York: Anchor Books. A memoir of Julia Child as she discusses her years in France where she learn to become one of the most famed chefs of her generation.
Gopnik, A. (2004). Americans in Paris: a literary anthology. New York: Library of America. This literary anthology has letters from famed Americans from P.T. Barnum to Cole Porter.
Gopnik, A. (2000). Paris to the moon. New York: Random House. Originally published in the New Yorker, this collection of essay examines life in France and the cultural differences for Americans living abroad.
Mayle, Peter (1998). Chasing Cezanne. New York: Vintage Books. An art heist in France, chasing Cezanne comes with humor and traveling in and out of the South of France.
McCullough, D. (2011). The Greater journey: Americans in Paris. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press. A generation before Hemingway, this book explores famous Americans of the 18th century who arrived to France and achieved their fame and success abroad rather than in the States.
Mercer, J. (2005). Time was soft there: a Paris sojourn at Shakespeare & Co. New York: St. Martin's Press. In the Left Bank sits one of the oldest bookstores in the world. Mercer accounts his time working and living at the book store.
Rowlands, P. (2011). Paris was ours: thirty-two writers reflect on the city of light. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Essays by writers such as Diane Johnson, Stacy Schiff, and French bloggers.
Rutherford, E. (2013). Paris: a novel. New York: Random House. Spanning multiple generations through epic histories of France this story brings the reader all the way to the late 1960s with special attention given to the lost generation writers of the 1920's.
Films of Possible InterestAmericans Abroad
llen, W. (Director). (2011). Midnight in Paris [Motion picture]. United States. Sony Pictures.
Donen, S. (Director). (1963). Charade [Motion picture]. United States. Universal Studios.
Donen, S. (Director). (1957). Funny face [Motion picture]. United States. Paramount Pictures.
Linklater, R. (Director). (2013). Before midnight [Motion picture]. United States. Sony Picture Classics.
Linklater, R. (Director). (1995). Before sunrise [Motion picture]. United States. Castle Rock Entertainment.
Linklater, R. (Director). (2004). Before sunset [Motion picture]. United States. Castle Rock Entertainment.
French Films
Godard, J. (Director). (1965). Pierrot le fou [Motion picture]. France. Janus Films.
Jeunet, J. (Director). (2001). Amelie [Motion picture]. France. Miramax Films.
Jeunet, J. (Director). (2005). A Very long engagement [Motion picture]. France. Warner Bros.
Ernest Hemingway
Attenborough, R. (Director). (1996). In love and war. [Motion picture]. United States. New Line Cinema.
Crisman, S. (Director). (2005). Biography: Ernest Hemingway, wrestling with life [Documentary]. United States. A& E Network.
Kaufman, P. (Director). (2012). Hemingway & Gellhorn [Motion picture]. United States. HBO Films.
Donen, S. (Director). (1957). Funny face [Motion picture]. United States. Paramount Pictures.
Linklater, R. (Director). (2013). Before midnight [Motion picture]. United States. Sony Picture Classics.
Linklater, R. (Director). (1995). Before sunrise [Motion picture]. United States. Castle Rock Entertainment.
Linklater, R. (Director). (2004). Before sunset [Motion picture]. United States. Castle Rock Entertainment.
French Films
Godard, J. (Director). (1965). Pierrot le fou [Motion picture]. France. Janus Films.
Jeunet, J. (Director). (2001). Amelie [Motion picture]. France. Miramax Films.
Jeunet, J. (Director). (2005). A Very long engagement [Motion picture]. France. Warner Bros.
Ernest Hemingway
Attenborough, R. (Director). (1996). In love and war. [Motion picture]. United States. New Line Cinema.
Crisman, S. (Director). (2005). Biography: Ernest Hemingway, wrestling with life [Documentary]. United States. A& E Network.
Kaufman, P. (Director). (2012). Hemingway & Gellhorn [Motion picture]. United States. HBO Films.
