Helpful Score: 3
It was difficult to read this book told from Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley's, experience. Hadley marries Hemingway after a hasty whirlwind courtship (he literally sweeps/dances her off her feet during her first visit to the "big city" of Chicago), but she starts off already counting her own disadvantages. Hadley suspects she's too old, too frumpy, too "dumb" (she is not a writer or artist like Hem and all his acquaintances) for him, and she pretty much puts herself into the defensive position of trying to "retain" Hemingway and keep on being his wife. Not good.
Since this is sort of historical fiction, most of us already know of Hemingway's macho character, his womanizing/drinking ways, and his depression (and ultimate suicide). This is no gentle recount of "Papa" Hemingway, nor is it a fluffy view of his marriage to Hadley. I am not familiar with Hadley nor Hemingway's first marriage but the author does posit that Hemingway did credit his fame (publishing "The Sun Also Rises") to her. To be honest, Hadley lucked out sort of because Hemingway gave her some slack (he mentions her as being the best thing that happened to him, etc... in his memoirs) because I don't feel Hadley would have had it in her to fight Hemingway with a messy divorce.
Worth a read to see the genesis of a lot of Hemingway's books. The bohemian, heavy drinking, partying, loving lifestyle of the Left Bank artists may seem unrealistic to some of us, but this book paints it quite vividly that it is a pleasure to read.
Since this is sort of historical fiction, most of us already know of Hemingway's macho character, his womanizing/drinking ways, and his depression (and ultimate suicide). This is no gentle recount of "Papa" Hemingway, nor is it a fluffy view of his marriage to Hadley. I am not familiar with Hadley nor Hemingway's first marriage but the author does posit that Hemingway did credit his fame (publishing "The Sun Also Rises") to her. To be honest, Hadley lucked out sort of because Hemingway gave her some slack (he mentions her as being the best thing that happened to him, etc... in his memoirs) because I don't feel Hadley would have had it in her to fight Hemingway with a messy divorce.
Worth a read to see the genesis of a lot of Hemingway's books. The bohemian, heavy drinking, partying, loving lifestyle of the Left Bank artists may seem unrealistic to some of us, but this book paints it quite vividly that it is a pleasure to read.
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