Join Paula McLain to talk about our February Book of the Month, THE PARIS WIFE, Tuesday 28th February 9-10pm

[TillyBookClub]

Anyone happen to see Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen's most recent (and hurrah, at last! enjoyable) film? Essentially Owen Wilson looking confused and cute and exploring his 'golden era', the historical moment that you would most like to live in. Which means drinking all night in Twenties Paris with Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, Dali, Duff Cooper, Scott Fitzgerald. But he discovers that not all those gilded free spirits are so keen to be there.

February's book also takes that golden era and flips it over. THE PARIS WIFE is the story of Hadley, aka Mrs Ernest Hemingway (the first one, the 'Paris one'), who first meets the handsome, energetic, vulnerable Nesto in Prohibition-era Chicago. Several parties, fights and a proposal later, and they find themselves penniless in the city of lights, amidst the glittering crowd of artists and writers that congregate in its cafes and bars. Ernest's career finally begins to take off, and Hadley, kept at home with their baby son, begins to be pushed further and further into the sidelines. As she watches the fault lines in her marriage crack ever wider, her desperation to hold onto her love only grows stronger...until she realises there is another ready to take her place.

Read more about the book at our book of the month page, or browse pictures of Hadley and Ernest on Paula's website

Virago are offering 50 copies of The Paris Wife to Mumsnetters. To bag your copy before they run out, please go to the book of the month page and fill in your details.

We'll post on this thread once the copies have all been sent out but if you're not lucky enough to bag a free copy, don't forget you can get your paperback or Kindle version here

We are delighted that Paula will be joining us at the end of February for the live webchat - we will confirm the exact date in the next few days. Look forward to seeing you all there, and do keep posting your thoughts and any advance questions on this thread...

[AlmaMartyr]

I felt a bit frustrated with Hadley but more upset for her really. I was very surprised she put up with him and the affair for so long but I think she was very dependent on him. I read it as if she tied her whole identity into him from when they met and couldn't break away from that. I really felt for her when she was worrying about just being the 'Paris wife' and how people would perceive her. When my marriage was in trouble one of the things that scared me most (and really surprised me!) was how worried I was about how it would look like some kind of "starter marriage" rather than the meaningful relationship I thought it was (everything OK now btw).

Do you think the much older Hadley at the end still wished her marriage to Hemingway had worked out? I was very happy for her when she met Charlie (hope I've remembered that right!) and got treated well but I thought I picked up a vibe that she was still in love with Ernest?

I was also a little surprised that she moved back to Paris? It felt a bit strange given that it seemed like it had always been Ernest's 'place', it never seemed like she was at home there. She said it was so Bumby could be near Ernest but the relationship between Bumby and Ernest never seemed very close to me - I never got a sense of them bonding - so I thought it was a little weird that she felt it was so important for them to be together?

From a couple of the bits written by Ernest, I vaguely got the impression that he never did love her, or never actually thought of himself as loving her (until maybe later, when he calls her up?) and that he was marrying her to save himself in some way. Did he then resent her for not being able to do that? I imagine that the resentment of her losing his work must have been massive but it does make me wonder if he'd have been so successful if he hadn't had that clean slate?

[turkeyboots]

I enjoyed it very much, not my normal genre at all. And I hate Hemmingway, had too many teenage boys in my year mooning over him. But may give it him a go again, the context your book gave it has made me want to read some, which is a achievement! Is there anything you recommend?

I loved the living in poverty in Paris with a cleaner/cook and Nanny. How realisitc was that?

[Abcinthia]

Hello Paula, I enjoyed the book very much.

My question is how much research did you do before writing the book and were there any parts which you could not research, so had to put together yourself?

[aristocat]

I felt quite sorry for Hadley, she was young and immature and obsessed with Ernest.

How did you decide to write a book on this lady, was it their relationship you were interested in or Hemingway in general?

[yUMMYmUMMYb]

Paula, thanks for an interesting and beautifully written book. I feel like i learned something reading this book (to my shame i knew nothing of Hemmingway's life). I have decided to read some of his books now, any you would recommend?
Question: why did you choose to write about real life characters? Similar to others, i am interested to know about any research you did prior to starting writing.
Looking forward to the discussion tonight.

[southlondonlady]

Enjoying the book so far but haven't finished it so going to have to sit this one out...have fun all and I look forward to coming back and reading the thread later.

[valiumpoptarts]

Hi Paula,
I'm about halfway through the book and really enjoying it :) I used to be quite a fan of Hemmingway in my youth, but reading this as an adult I find him self obsessive to an annoying degree. Talented, but not someone I'd want to hang out with. So my question is, did writing the book change your opinion at all about any of the charactors. And (if I'm allowed an and) do you like Hemmingway or did you write this because you feel for Hadley?

[ProfCoxWouldGetIt]

Hi Paula, thanks for an amazing book, it's not the sort I'd normally purchase, but am really enjoying it (sorry I haven't finished it yet) I've deliberately avoided hemmingway in the past as I thought with so much hype it would never be that good, but I think I'll have to give him a try.

I'm very curious as to why you chose to write about Hadley, and if your views on her changed as yo uwrote the book?

Thanks again, will definitely be looking at more books in this genre

[PaulaMcLain]

Test

[HandDivedScallopsrgreat]

I haven't finished the book yet and as much as I am enjoying your writing Paula, I am struggling with the subject matter. Like SGM I am finding it very misogynistic and not at all romantic (in fact a bit sinister at the moment).

The question I'd like to ask is how much you knew about Hadley and Ernest's relationship before you started researching and writing the book?

[carriemumsnet]

Yet again I've read the book of the month and then am out on book club night
Anyway just wanted to say I really enjoyed it - had just seen midnight in Paris so imagined Hemingway as the actor in that all the way through and felt v much steeped in the era. The bit I found hardest was the betrayal by the friend and the reaction of Hadley to that, just made me so sad, even though you could see it coming and had indeed been warned all the way through that the ending wasn't happy.

I immediately wanted to go away and read more about the real Hadley/ Hemingway relationship, and my question and it's a tricky one is how much is fact and how much is fiction and how do you decide where to allow poetic license? Would you choose another "real life" event or person again for a novel or has this made you want to do a complete fictional work next time. Sorry two questions. Thanks so much for coming on Mn and for a great book. Have a great evening all.

PS was I the only one who wondered what the AIBU posts might have been like if Hem and Hadley had had MN...
AIBU to expect my wife not to lose my entire life's work on a train?
AIBU to expect my best friend not to steal my dh while on a jolly ski trip and wearing my best slippers
AIBU to expect to waltz off for weeks on end and leave my toddler with a French cleaner?
... it's Ok I'll stop now...

[MamaMary]

I did find the book romantic actually. I thought it was like any relationship early on when both parties are caught up in it and head over heels in love. Although the warning signs were there from early on too.

I sympthaised a lot with Hadley and found her character very sympathetic and her integrity shone through. The rest of them seemed utterly pretentious and unbearable. I think Hadley would have been the only one would have I liked if I'd met them.

While I was sad at how Hadley was treated and that the marriage ended, she was well rid of him and it was the best thing for her. The ending of the novel - when she was older and heard about his death - was so elegaic.

Well done - I really enjoyed it and it will stay with me.

[Nevergarglebrandybutter]

elegiac! i've learnt a new word.

[MamaMary]

At least you can spell it - I should have checked the dictionary first!

[TillyBookClub]

Evening everyone

Valentine's Day romance it ain't. But Febuary's choice did cheer up this dreary month by keeping me engrossed every night and making me feel brilliantly educated about the arty Twenties crowd. THE PARIS WIFE has been a wonderfully atmospheric and thought-provoking read, and I am thrilled that Paula McLain is here to throw light on the inspiration and research behind her book.

There is much to discuss, so without further ado....

Paula, firstly, thank you very much indeed to taking the time to join us. And many congratulations on a beautifully written and expertly realised novel. We'll kick off with the advance questions from further up the thread. And then we'll aim to get through as many new ones as possible over the next hour (although getting through all the posts above may take a good chunk of that...)

I'd also like to add our two standard MN Bookclub questions (which we like to ask all authors, and will be archived on the site):

Which childhood book most inspired you?

What would be the first piece of advice you would give anyone attempting to write fiction?

Over to you...

[PaulaMcLain]

Thanks so much, Tilly. Delighted to be here--virtually, obviously. It's a gray and dreary 4 PM in Cleveland, Ohio!

[PaulaMcLain]

And to answer your question, Tilly, my advice to aspiring writers is always the same?to read, read, read, particularly in the genre in which you?re writing, and to persevere. More than talent, I admire gumption and passion. The world is always poised to tell you no?so are agents, editors, readers. You have to believe in your projects, finish them, and be committed to getting better, sentence by sentence, book by book.

[PaulaMcLain]

Oops..missed a question there, too! The book I found most inspirational when I was a young girl was a biography of the sharpshooter Annie Oakley, and her adventures with Buffalo Bill?s Wild West Show. I was completely transfixed by it, and had lots of juicy fantasies about running away to be a cowgirl. I also really loved Charlotte?s Web, by E.B. White. I?ve been reading that to my kids (5 and 7) lately, and we got to the part where Charlotte dies. I completely lost control and couldn?t stop crying. Ugh. Poor Charlotte! My children both looked at me as if I?d lost my mind, naturally!

[PaulaMcLain]

Thanks so much for your response! I'm a terrible speller myself, but I like what you've said about the end of the book--quite. These two break my heart in all sorts of ways....

@MamaMary

I did find the book romantic actually. I thought it was like any relationship early on when both parties are caught up in it and head over heels in love. Although the warning signs were there from early on too.

I sympthaised a lot with Hadley and found her character very sympathetic and her integrity shone through. The rest of them seemed utterly pretentious and unbearable. I think Hadley would have been the only one would have I liked if I'd met them.

While I was sad at how Hadley was treated and that the marriage ended, she was well rid of him and it was the best thing for her. The ending of the novel - when she was older and heard about his death - was so elegaic.

Well done - I really enjoyed it and it will stay with me.

[suzannened]

Hi Paula,
I really enjoyed the book - & whilst I can see why many people don't consider it 'romantic' I did think it was a very moving story of Hadley & Hemingway's romance.
What I'd like to ask is how hard it was to stick to the real story - did you ever wish it possible to rewrite how the relationship fell apart for Hadley? And was it difficult to keep Hadley's character from being swamped by the larger than life personality of Hemingway?

[PaulaMcLain]

Thanks for your question. It actually never occurred to me to write a historical novel before I stumbled onto A Moveable Feast, Hemingway?s memoir of his upstart years in Paris. His portrayal of his marriage to Hadley was so tender and so moving to me that I sought out biographies of her life to learn more about who she was. That?s when it struck me that she would make an incredible speaker for a novel. From that moment on, I didn?t look back or ask myself if I could do it (had the skills to do it) because the inspiration felt so right, and I had such an emotional connection to the material.

I wasn?t a huge Hemingway fan before I began, and that probably helped a great deal. I wasn?t pinned down to any agenda with him, and could simply get to know him the way Hadley did, through her eyes.

@areyoutheregoditsmemargaret

Thaks Tily

Hello Paula, congratulations on the book which I really enjoyed. My question (I have loads but will limit myself) is where the original inspiration came from to write it? Were you a big Hemingway fan initially and what aspect about the Hadley story appealed to you?

Thank you

[Morgan]

Hi Paula I loved the book and have recommended it to my book club. I have just got moveable feast from the library . How will it compare to your book ? thanks.

[PaulaMcLain]

Good question! It was terribly difficult to stick to the real story at times. I wanted to shake them both more than once! And yet early on I decided that because Hadley was a real woman who actually lived, I had a certain responsibility to take her as I found her, and not judge her if I could help it.

@suzannened

Hi Paula,
I really enjoyed the book - & whilst I can see why many people don't consider it 'romantic' I did think it was a very moving story of Hadley & Hemingway's romance.
What I'd like to ask is how hard it was to stick to the real story - did you ever wish it possible to rewrite how the relationship fell apart for Hadley? And was it difficult to keep Hadley's character from being swamped by the larger than life personality of Hemingway?

[kittysaysmiaow]

Hi Paula
Congratulations on the novel, I really enjoyed it. As a travel nut I particularly liked all the details of their jollies to various glamorous locations. They knew how to holiday in style

I wanted to ask about when Hadley left Ernest's work on the train. It seemed such a key point in the novel. Was this event the beginning of the end for them, and what effect did it have on their relationship? Also... did this happened as described in real life?

Thanks for taking part in this discussion.

[PaulaMcLain]

Hi, Morgan. A Moveable Feast is hard to take at times. In it, EH romanticizes his early self, gently remembers Hadley--but also tells some pretty snarky stories about good friends and colleagues. The man had a particular talent for pissing people off and losing friends!

@Morgan

Hi Paula I loved the book and have recommended it to my book club. I have just got moveable feast from the library . How will it compare to your book ? thanks.