August 2012 Meeting, "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain

Before our discussion, we had a very nice dinner at a new restaurant here in Houston in The Heights. Salé-Sucré is a really small place, a bit hard to find and with very little parking, but the French food is authentic – crepes, escargot, boeuf bourguignon. Tres Parisian and a perfect fit for the theme of the book!

McLain’s account about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley is an intriguing tale, despite the fact that, intentionally or not, it paints Hemingway in a very unflattering light. He was extremely self-centered, reckless about his own life and others’, and unnecessarily ruthless in his drive to become successful. He continually destroyed friendships with the people who helped him, all as a means to achieving fame. It’s actually surprising that he became so successful given that those friends could have retaliated by sabotaging his career.

Hemingway holds court with Parisian
expatriate friends. Hadley is on the right.

Hadley’s deep love for Hemingway is not unexpected – he was young and attractive, very charismatic, and he seemed to care for her deeply, so her continued support and encouragement of him is understandable. However, it gets a little hard to swallow when Papa Hem professes his love for another woman; he even suggests that the three of them live together as one big happy family! Hadley actually tolerates the affair at first and thinks it might be worth giving it a try just to keep their marriage together. She is a little disturbed by the fact that Pauline is not only a member of their social circle but she’s also supposed to be Hadley’s best friend. But wait – it gets creepier: while vacationing in the French Riviera, Pauline enters their room, strips down, and slips into bed to join Hem and Had during one of their regular afternoon naps in which they cuddle naked. Hadley is shocked and repulsed but does nothing! It’s not until some time later that she asks for a divorce. Ultimately, her story has a much happier ending than Hemingway’s since she has a long, happy marriage with her second husband while Hem goes through three more wives before committing suicide.

Unfortunately, McLain is not the best writer. Sometimes her prose and dialogue seem a little simplistic. The fictionalized biography of Frank Lloyd Wright, by Nancy Horan, is by far a more compelling and gripping story. And while FLW also suffered shortcomings as a husband, he comes across as much more likeable; when we read about his wife’s untimely death, it’s heart breaking. However, everyone agreed that The Paris Wife is still worth reading, especially for its glimpse into the lives of the famous writers and artists that we studied in school and who we continue to find fascinating. The lesson on early twentieth century English literature is instructive in a good way, with background on F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein, to name just a few. Not to mention, we get a peek into the glamour that was Paris in the Roaring 20s. 

If you haven’t already seen the movie, check out Midnight in Paris, for a different perspective on this group of literary geniuses.

And here's a blog that focuses exclusively on Hemingway, including background on his books, his travels, and his life, with discussions and interviews with Paula McLain and other writers.

Other reading:
Paris Without End: The True Story of Hemingway's First Wife by Gioia Diliberto.