October 2015- The Paris Wife and Paris Without End: the true Story of Hemingway’s First Wife

The Paris wife by Paula McLain 

Paris without end: the true Story of Hemingway’s First Wife by Gioia Diliberto

This month we read two different versions of the marriage between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson. The first title is the fictionalized and the second an account complete with referencing (yay says Kristy) based on Diliberto’s research.

Set mainly in Paris in the 1920’s the couple were at the centre of the movers and the shakers of the expatriate American literary community. Hadley is credited as being the inspiration for Hemingway and ‘the only woman Hemingway never stopped loving’.

It was interesting to hear that most of the events and places in Diliberto’s book were also in McLain’s. So we were all able to envy their lifestyle travelling to exotic places, wining and dining on little or no money with the help of well heeled friends.  

So what did everyone think about the books? Those that read The Paris wife thought was an enjoyable enough as a record of the time period but the writing style was lacking and tedious.

However those that chose the non fiction loved it. Deb said it was all she wanted in book and didn’t want it to end. What more could you want.

Scores:

Anna              8         

Annette          5

Cheryl            5

Deb                10

Kristy             5

Megan           10

Phil                8

Average:       7.2