5.04.2012

Book Club Friday

This week I read:
Here is the description from Goodreads:
A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. 
Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill-prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will becomeThe Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.
A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

My thoughts:
It took me a few chapters to really get into this book.  I had it on my list for a while and even had it reserved at the library for months before I got it.  After getting a little into the book, I had to keep reading and totally feel in love with Hadley.  I love that the book was written from point of view and gave us a look at what Ernest Hemingway's early life in Paris would have been like.  Even though he had many wives after her, he always spoke highly of Hadley and if you read this book, I think that you will see why.  I also loved how they ended the book and Hadley's story.

I am linking up with Book Club Monday at Blonde, Undercover Blonde,

And with Sweet Green Tangerine for her Book Chat on Vacation Reads.
And click here to follow me at Goodreads!  

9 comments:

  1. I have this book on my to-read list and I'm really excited to get to it!

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  2. I have heard a few things about this book-I think I will get it for my summer!

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  3. I have this book on my to-read list! I think I'll have to take it to the beach this summer! Also, just added you on goodreads! :)

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  4. I will have to add this one to my list! Sounds great :)

    Thanks for linking up!!

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  5. I have had this book on my 'must read' list for a while now, I need to get to it!

    I'm your newest follower from the hop!

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  6. I totally feel the same way. The book made me kind of sad for Hadley, but I loved her (at least, after she told Ernest that she was done with this nonsense!) and kept reading for her character. I did feel like it moved a bit slow, though.

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    1. It did make me feel sad for Hadley. I loved her though. I loved that she was able to stand up for herself and not put up with it. She also got remarried and I hope that she was happy. It was a bit slow in the middle but I still couldn't put it down.

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  7. I want to read this book! It sounds really good, and your review was great!

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  8. I've heard this was such a good one!

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