by Paula McLain
First published 2011
Hadley Richardson lives comfortably in 1920 Chicago but feels distant from love and happiness. Then she meets Ernest Hemingway. His energy and ambition captivate her completely. After a brief courtship, she becomes his first wife and they move to Paris together. They have little money but find joy in their circle of artists: Francis Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and other members of the lost generation who sought refuge in the city. The couple loves each other deeply, but Paris tests them. The glamorous, wild atmosphere exists to help people forget the Great War's disasters. Jazz era parties never end, alcohol flows freely, and brilliant conversations fill the nights. This environment threatens fidelity and family life. Attractive women and competing artistic egos constantly surround Ernest as he struggles to find his literary voice. He begins to discover the style that will secure his place in literary history. But his success comes at a price. His relationship with Hadley and their son suffers. Hadley's roles as wife, friend, and muse face danger.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Chicago, Paris
Period: 1920s
520 pages · Hardcover · Alianza Editorial