Paula McLain

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
(Print: 7/28/2015; 978-0345534187; Ballantine Books; 1st edition; 384 pages )
(Digital: Yes.)
Audio: 7/28/2015; 9780307989932; Penguin Random House Audio Publishing; Duration 12:05:38 (10 parts); Unabridged.
(Film: No).

SERIES:
No

CHARACTERS: (Not comprehensive)
Beryl Clutterbuck (Markham) – Protagonist whose life we follow
Charles Clutterbuck – Beryl’s father
Clara Agnes (Alexander) Cluterbuck – Beryl’s mother
Jock Purves – Beryl’s 1st husband
Denys Finch Hatton – A love interest of Beryl’s as well as of Karen’s
Karen Blixen – A friend Beryl makes in her early 20’s in Africa (and author of “Out of Africa”.
Mansfield Markham – Beryl’s 2nd husband
Gervase Markham – Son with Mansfield

DEDICATION:
“For my family—with love and thanks for unending—and for Letti Ann Christoffersen who was my Lady D”

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
I can’t recall my inspiration for reading this. It’s possible I saw the cover and was intrigued, or that I had noticed it was by the author of “The Paris Wife” which I have not read, but it’s on my list.
This book is historical fiction—it is peopled by authentic personages, but the conversations and incidences come from the author’s imagination. I loved the writing, the location, and the strength of Beryl’s character.

AUTHOR:
Paula McLain 1965. According to Wikipedia, Paula “is an American author best known for her novel, The Paris Wife, a fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage[1] which became a long-time New York Times bestseller.[2] She has published two collections of poetry, a memoir about growing up in the foster system, and the novel A Ticket to Ride.”
NARRATOR(S): Katharine Lee McEwan. According to Wikipedia, Katharine “is an English actress, screenwriter, and film producer. She gained recognition in 2015 with the award-winning independent feature film Solitary, which she wrote and produced in addition to playing the lead role.”
At the end of this book was when I learned that the people actually existed and that the main character, Beryl, had actually written a memoir called West with the Night. I’ve begun listening to it, and instantly I missed Kathleen’s voice. She lends class and gentility to these characters.

GENRE:
Historical fiction, Literature

LOCATIONS:
Colonial British East Africa - Njoro, Kenya, Nairobi, Ngong Hills, London

TIME FRAME:
1904 - 1936

SUBJECTS:
Africa, horse training, romance, independence, African tribes, society, convention, willfulness’, marriage, piloting, Gull airplane, royalty, women’s roles

NARRATIVE STYLE:
1st Person

SAMPLE QUOTATION:
From Chapter Part One

Chapter 1:
“Before Kenya was Kenya, when it was millions of years old and yet still somehow new, the name belonged only to our most magnificent mountain. You could see it from our farm in Njoro, in the British East African Portectorate—hard edged at the far end of a stretching golden plain, its crown glazed with ice that never completely melted. Behind us, the Mau Forest was blue with strings of mist. Before us, the Rongai Valley sloped down and away, bordered on one side by the strange, high Menengai Crater, which the natives called the Mountain of God, and on the other by the distant Aberdare Range, rounded blue-grey hills that went smoky and purple at dusk before dissolving into the night sky.
When we first arrived, in 1904, the farm wasn’t anything but fifteen hundred acres of untouched bush and three weather-beaten huts.
‘This?’ my mother said, the air around her humming and shimmering as if it were alive, ‘You sold everything for this?’
‘Other farmers are making a go of it in tougher places, Clara,’ my father said.
‘You’re not a farmer, Charles!’ she spat before bursting into tears.”

RATING:
5 stars. Wonderfully written.

STARTED-FINISHED
5/19/21 – 5/30/21
… (mais)

The Paris Wife is the story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley. They lived in Paris for most of their marriage. They were friends with many of the writers who were popular in the 1920's. Even though it is fiction the author chose to stay true to events of their lives during their marriage. For most of their time together Ernest was an unknown. He was trying to sell his first book. They lived rather simply and traveled to much of Europe. If you are interested in the Jazz Age and the writers of the 20's this would be an enjoyable read.… (mais)