I initially picked this novel because of the connections to some of my literary heroes of the “Lost Generation”. Thinking it might be a little more “beach read”, I was pleasantly surprised at how much depth Hadley Hemingway’s story held.
The story of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife begins with their first encounter at a friend’s party in the jazz-infused Chicago of the 1920s. Reading Hadley’s thoughts, hopes, and dreams about Ernest reminds me of my naïve middle school infatuations—she is delightfully idealistic. Despite prohibition, they still had alcohol, which rid their inhibitions like it does anyone else’s. A few parties and several letters later, they marry and sail for Paris.
The City of Lights in this time period was very liberal, coming as a shock to Hadley. The Hemingways surround themselves quickly with other notable writers, artists, and musicians of the time, with Gertrude Stein becoming a close mentor to Ernest. Their bohemian lifestyle becomes both rewarding and eventually detrimental. The lax social rules cause a rift in Ernest and Hadley’s marriage.
This time in the Hemingways’ life, interacting with the likes of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ezra Pound, becomes the inspiration for Ernest’s acclaimed novel The Sun Also Rises.
Though this marriage wasn’t always perfect, Hemingway later told Hadley "the more I see of all the members of your sex, the more I admire you." How could a reader not want to know more about their love story?
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