NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful novel of the stormy marriage between Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, a fiercely independent woman who became one of the greatest war correspondents of the twentieth century—from the author of The Paris Wife and the new novel When the Stars Go Dark, available now! “Romance, infidelity, war—Paula McLain’s powerhouse novel has it all.”—Glamour NAMED ONE … powerhouse novel has it all.”—Glamour
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • New York Public Library • Bloomberg • Real Simple
In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It’s her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. There she also finds herself unexpectedly—and unwillingly—falling in love with Ernest Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.
On the eve of World War II, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest’s relationship and careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they are no longer equals, and Martha must forge a path as her own woman and writer.
Heralded by Ann Patchett as “the new star of historical fiction,” Paula McLain brings Gellhorn’s story richly to life and captures her as a heroine for the ages: a woman who will risk absolutely everything to find her own voice.
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A good portrait of Martha Gellhorn who I didn’t know much about
This is a beautifully written book with great historical information about the Spanish Civil Wae, the events leading up to World War Two and a smart, creative journalist ‘s journey to make her mark in a predominantly male world, all while meeting falling under the spell of and ultimately marrying the larger than life Ernest Hemingway. I was enthralled by McLain’s beautifully drawn characters and scenes.
Interesting voice of main character
Based on the lives of Ernest Hemingway and his 3rd wife, Marty Gellhorn, this story was filled with history and insight about the 30’s and 40’s besides the struggles of a new author who eventually became a famous news correspondent. She “stuck to her guns” and did well for herself. A true heroine.
Great book. I couldn’t put it down. It held my interest from start to finish!
Hemingway…what a narcissistic man. He chose strong women, then tried to change them for his image. Worth the read.
McClain writes with such authenticity. Her books are so well researched and this one is no exception. Great read.
Love books about Ernest Hemmingway’s wives. And there were four!
Historical fiction of Hemingway and his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. He was definitely not a good match for this strong and talented woman. Their story left me feeling sad and not so enamored with Hemingway, no matter how good a writer he was.
Paula McLain really knows her Hemingway!
I loved this book. Having read The Paris Wife I couldn’t wait to read this book about Hemingway’s third wife, Martha “Marty” Gellhorn, a Strong determined woman who was an equal to Ernest Hemingway in many ways. Both were writers. She was a world renowned Journalist who traveled the world reporting on the SpanishCivil war and others despite the job taking her away from Hemingway for periods of times. Their marriage was fraught with love and angst. Despite the intensity of their loveErnest could not accept Marty’s desire to continue working when all he wanted was for her to stay home and give them a daughter. A fascinating read about one of the greater novelist of the 20th century.
This sequel to The Paris Wife is obviously fiction, but focuses on so many real events to Ernest Hemingway’s life, it is like being there. I’m certainly going to follow up with more reading on Mary, in her own right an exceptional woman.
Martha Gellhorn was a force to be reckoned with and that is what Ernest Hemingway loved about her. At first anyway. A writer long before, “Marty” meets Hem on a spontaneous vacation to Florida with her mother. They keep in contact as fellow writers and she joins him in Spain to report on the Spanish Civil War with a slew of other people who feel the need to share what is going on in the world. To help in any way they can. She is in awe of Hem and can’t help but love him. Married or not. Hemingway is the tortured soul we all know him to be. McClain writes this beautiful story as if she were really there, in their minds, for all of it. Though a fan of his work, I am not a fan of him as a person and while this book did nothing if not cement my opinions of him as a man, it did help me to understand him in a way. And Marty was an astounding woman way ahead of her time. She was a fascinating person and I loved learning about her.
Just as in The Paris Wife, Paula McClain paints an amazingly clear picture of what it was like then, to be pulled into Hemingway’s orbit. Completely different story, completely different wife, a beautiful story yet again.
I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Sometimes it’s hard to care about two such self absorbed people. Not as compelling as The Paris Wife. But good writing and an interesting story.
This author is such a good writer, Immersing you into the story from the beginning.
This story is a about the tumultuous life and love between Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, who became his third wife and it was a romance that challenged them both.
When Martha and her family went down to Key West they met Hemingway in a bar and they became fast friends, he showed them around the keys and introduced them to his family, she was fascinated by him and they had a common bond of writing, he became something of a mentor.
He went to Spain to be a correspondent during the Spanish Civil war and Martha who wanting to be a reporter as well, found a way to go with credentials from Collier Magazine. Here they finally let their passion start, although Hemingway was still married.
They ended up with their main residence in Cuba, where Ernest had already been living part time to write. They bought a little farm and made it theirs, and here the two writers were able to be creative in their own spaces. Both became restless from time to time and would go off on their own to follow a story. Gellhorn loved being a war correspondent and had a gift of finding the human interest story in all of the horror around her.
It was a story that had me hooked from the start, the ups and downs of there relationship was fascinating to follow, each strong headed and at times not willing to compromise. I loved the family aspect of it, when Hemingway’s sons would visit them, and the close relationship they all had.
There are a lot of wonderful characters in this book to read about.
I look forward to her next book.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing group – Ballantine for the ARC of this book.
Informative and real facts of WW2 and the loves of Hemingway.
I loved her book “the Paris Wife” also. She has a way of writing characters that you feel as though you know and understand them
Excellent historical fiction! Very interesting story about Martha gelhorn and her life.
Paula McLain does a great job weaving true historical facts and turning them into a fascinating read.
This was the story of the love affair and marriage between Martha Gellhorn and Hemingway. She was a novelist, travel writer, and journalist who is considered one of the great war correspondents of the 20th century. She reported on virtually every major world conflict that took place during her 60-year career. Unfortunately, she fell madly in love with Ernest Hemingway, whom we all know was a big jerk in real life (to put it kindly).
This is her story of her battles in life with herself (and her father), trying to be a writer, war correspondent, and her marriage; the biggest battle of them all.
I loved this book and finally learned about an amazing woman. Martha Gelhorn. She should be honored by the world community.