The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I did not know what to think when this book was chosen by my book club. I do not like Hemingway's writing and often question why he was chosen to represent the best of American authors in so many classes I took in college.

I do not usually like non fiction books. But then I found out that this was a fictionalized account of their marriage; so that made it a little easier to read.

The discussions at book club started as everyone came into the room Many conversations were carried over from the car rides to the meeting.

It was interesting to see the different attitudes members had toward Hadley. The words traditional, over her head, and not included were used often.Almost to a one no one cared for Hemingway as a writer but each of us was captured by his personality from beginning to end.

We were all disgusted by how much the characters drank, how totally self involved they were and how rich the rich could be.

We did think that this book gave a good contrast of definitions of the word "hedonism" and "victorian".

A lively discussion broke out over who needed whom the most-Would he have been as dedicated had he not had Hadley. Would she ever have left home had she not had Hem.And also over him leaving her out in his novel....

I loved the book.It is a good book for discussion. Plus now I think I want to read his short stories to see if I can find her influence in his writings.

It also lead me on a two hour internet search about Hemingway and Pauline, Hemingway and Spain,and literary criticism of his works.

I think he would be furious to find that she has become a person of interest.


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Why would anyone want that?

Usually I lose things. You know...can't find my keys, can't find the knit pattern I was just looking at. Normal everyday irritating things. Things that by tomorrow I will have forgotten and moved on to more things I have misplaced,ike my glasses or my drink.

But today I walked out my front door with the dogs and my planter with red petunias is gone. I did not move it. I know I saw it yesterday. Who would want it?

 The petunias are holding on my their last root. We had such hot weather a couple of weeks ago they almost fried. Bedraggled would be the word to describe them. I had not pulled them up and thrown them out because I felt they were strong and brave to withstand the heat and depend on someone like me to take care of them.Next to them is a planter with nice green ferns.Why not take that one? Why not take the stand they were on? Weird.

This one of those "life puzzles" that will never have an answer.

 These little annoyances are what keeps life interesting I guess. You know the pitiful thing? Our dogs that we got so they would make noise, made noise and we ignored them.

So we went to the back patio, found the red petunias in the same kind of planter that was taken and placed it, bedraggled petunias and all, on the planter stand on the front walk. Like it never happened.........


Life goes on at our house minus one planter of brave red petunias.