Book Review : The Paris Husband : How It Really Was Between Ernest and Hadley Hemingway
In his introduction , Donaldson makes no claims for his book ’ s originality . He simply retells the story of how Hemingway ’ s first wife , Hadley , packed nearly all of his manuscripts into a valise , put them aboard a train en route to her beloved husband , and then suffered the agony of loss when someone stole the precious cargo while she briefly went out to get a sandwich and a drink . At this point , Donaldson cannot do better than quote Gioia Dilberto ’ s “ first-rate biography ,” Hadley ( 1992 ): “ The perfection of the marriage was tainted by the loss , and things were never quite the same again .”
The introduction is a good setup , if a typical biographer ’ s ploy : Begin with a dramatic incident that will be explained in detail later on . Donaldson is good at the specifics that create a sense of immediacy . So we are told that Hadley left her luggage to get a bottle of Evian water , although we are not told , and Donaldson , alas , does not know what kind of sandwich Hadley ate�or even if , in her grief , she managed to finish it . Even trivial details contribute to the authenticity of a scene , and when some are lacking we are reminded that biography , no matter how thorough , is a book with missing parts . It is the missing parts that will occupy this review�what to do with them ?
Donaldson admires Hadley . Under the impress of a domineering mother , she broke out of her late Victorian confinement with Hemingway ’ s help , although that meant making her into a she-Hemingway , perfected when he had them cut their hair to the same length as part of the sexual games they invented and celebrated . Once again , Donaldson cannot do better than quote Dilberto ’ s description of Hadley as “ unpretentious , submissive , intelligent , sexy , tough in spirit .” Submissive and tough ? That would seem oxymoronic . But in this case , it is true : Hadley was perfectly willing to rough it with Ernest , to enjoy his sports and frolics , and so to be the perfect
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