It should be no secret by now that I enjoy a good story. Many of my life's passions can be boiled down to my love of stories, whether it be books, art, podcasts, travel, or people. The best way to connect with me and form a solid relationship is to share your stories with me.
And thus I love reading. And I love reading about writers and the people they loved. Perhaps that is my greater interest- the story of the lover behind the writer. Which is why I read both The Paris Wife and Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald almost back-to-back.
Let me tell you, reading these two stories back-to-back is an excellent choice. Both stories leave you wanting more. Perhaps I should explain.
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The Paris Wife is about Hadley Richardson, the first wife of Ernest Hemingway, and Z is about Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife. Both of these women are fascinating characters who were involved in tragic marriages with two of America's best writers of the early 20th century.
While reading The Paris Wife, I was transported to 1920's Paris. You all know how much I love Paris, so this book was a welcome vessel of return. This Paris, however, was seedier, and simply a backdrop to the sad story that is Hadley's marriage. The story is told from her point of view, and given that she is merely Hem's first wife, it is no spoiler that the marriage does not end well. In fact, I spent much of the book hating Hemingway and wishing he would get his act together. He clearly loved Hadley, but alas, he loved himself more.
Zelda's story is similar in that she married a writer who became an alcoholic, but again, as history has shown, it is no spoiler that this marriage remained legally intact for the duration of Scott and Zelda's lives. Sadly, Zelda's story is one of mental illness, which is what ultimately separated Zelda and Scott (she was institutionalized multiple times and died in a fire at her last institution).
Both of these women were sharp and opinionated, which seems to be what drew their husbands to begin with, but where Hadley seemed happy to live a domestic life, Zelda wanted a career of her own, whether it be writing or dance. When these women's dreams appeared to interfere with the wishes of the husbands, that is where the marriages go downhill.
What I loved about both of these books is the insight into these women's lives, despite these being fictionalized accounts. Women's stories are often brushed under the rug and lost to history, so it is intriguing to consider what the lives of these women must have been like, what their inner worlds must have felt like. And to me, that is the crux of a good story- a glimpse into another person's inner world.
If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them both. They're easy to read, and even easier to get lost in. If you're like me and always looking for a good book recommendation, add these to your to-read list (and you can check out my reading list on Goodreads- or add me as a friend!).
If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them both. They're easy to read, and even easier to get lost in. If you're like me and always looking for a good book recommendation, add these to your to-read list (and you can check out my reading list on Goodreads- or add me as a friend!).
And now, I would like to introduce you to someone else who enjoys reading, Allie of Call Me Sassafrass! I asked Allie a few questions about books and reading, and here are her answers:
What is your favorite book of all time?
My favorite book ever is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's the story of a little girl adopted by a quirky German couple that hides a Jewish man during World War II. Also, the little girl learns to read and steals books from Hitler's book burnings. A book about books! Being German, I feel a connection to World War II literature but this novel especially doesn't feel boring and historical but is really interesting.
What is your favorite recent read?
Recently, I read The Light Between Oceans for the Busy Blogger's Book Club but I'm not going to talk about that one yet! You can read about it on the blog on the 15th and join the next round of the book club!
What do you like about reading?
I've always loved to read. I learned to read very young and have never stopped. I love the opportunities for learning that I get from reading. I do love to read some good memoirs or nonfiction (I recommend Beautiful Boy or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) and of course I learn from those. But there's also something to be said about exposing yourself to different lives that you might not have had a chance to understand otherwise.
To get started, you can read Allie's advice for banishing a funky mood, read about the weird music she listens to, or how she intends to get happy in 90 days. Allie also does graphic design work, which you can check out here! Finally, you can also find Allie on Bloglovin, Twitter, and Facebook. Go show her some love!
And now tell me, what have you been reading lately? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
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