The Paris Wife in Pick-a-Shelf

Jun 17, 2012 Ozma rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club-pick, feels-like-i-read-it-yesterday

While some may describe this book as a "downer", and no doubt it is, it is probably the best book on Hemingway (and fictional, at that). Hemingway is seen as this enigmatic, unexplainable figure. This novel, though it is fictional, helped me understand Hemingway. I think he was selfish, and I was surprised his wife didn't stand up for herself more. But she was a product of her time and experiences, and Hemingway may have been a lesser writer had she not indulged him. Hemingway aside, the novel i ...more

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Nov 03, 2010 Jen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

3.5/5

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Feb 15, 2015 Joanie rated it liked it

Shelves: own, 2015-book-club-challenge, 2015

I'm torn between 3 and 4 here. On the one hand, I enjoyed the glimpse into the Hemmingways' early days and their lives with Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, the list goes on and on. But on the other hand (and no big surprise) Hemmingway is basically a bastard and as much as McLain tries to make him a sympathetic character by talking about the trauma he suffered in the war, his unfeeling parents etc, he still remains a bastard and Hadley comes across as a bit dim.

It totall ...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Kiki rated it really liked it

The only book I have read by Hemingway is The Sun Also Rises. That was in high school, so the only things I could say about that book is that bullfighting played a major part and I really liked it. Since I read Sun way back then, my views about Hemingway have been tainted by others' opinions of him. You know "chauvinistic, violent, etc.", and I think that has played a major part in my not picking up another novel by Hemingway. That will change because of this book.

Oh, sure, he's an ass througho ...more

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Jun 11, 2015 Keith rated it it was amazing

I have always been a huge fan of Hemingway, as well as the many artists that he encountered in his life. This book was about his first wife and him. I really loved the book!! However, it was a little difficult getting through the book about the artist himself and not his work. I am so glad I read it, as it was beautifully written!!!

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