The Paris Wife

I have begun to read a new book, The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain.

The Preacher and I went to Las Vegas, Nevada, a few years back for vacation. We stayed in the Paris Hotel. While on our flight to Las Vegas I began reading Ernest Hemingway's book, A Movable Feast. It takes place in Paris in the early 1920's, where he and his wife Hadley live with their son Bumby. It talks about Hemingway's life and how he and his wife lived large on $5.00 a day. 

"This is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy,"                                                                                         - Ernest Hemingway

The Preacher had read the book previously but I had not. In our early days of marriage we visited book stores every chance we got. We seemed to find so many books on their 'discount' table. It was our way of finding cheap entertainment during our financial lean years. We read a lot of Hemingway's books at that time.

Between reading Hemingway and staying at a hotel called the Paris, I became a little fascinated by Paris.  I would love to see it some day. I guess it's on the "bucket list". But reading about Paris in the '20's became very romantic to me. Everyone seemed carefree with quaint sidewalk cafes and walking in beautiful parks.

Since reading A Movable Feast, I have read a biography on Scott Fitzgerald's wife Zelda, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. Hemingway met Fitzgerald in Paris and he talks about him in his book.

So after reading about Zelda, I had to find something on Hadley. I know the ending of their life as a married couple but I wanted to know more about her. So while visiting a book store a few weeks ago, I found this book on one of the tables that was highlighting some biography type books. I knew immediately who it was about and told the Preacher that I was going to buy it right then and there.I couldn't wait to go home, find it on Amazon, and then wait a few days for it to be shipped. 

So I have begun reading about Hadley, I only have gotten a few chapters in but I am captivated by her already. She's a timid, frail, 28 year old girl who believes love may pass her by in her life, but then she meets Ernest and life changes. 

Sometimes the best love stories are the real stories of life.