This is the story of Ernest Hemingway's 2nd marriage to Pauline Pfeiffer. The writer is decidedly sympathetic to the Pfeiffer clan and somewhat hostile to Hemingway.

Even in the most sympathetic light, Pauline Pfeiffer comes off as a woman who used her family's money to marry Hemingway (and break up his first marriage while professing to be the BEST FRIEND of HIS WIFE!) and then she spent the rest of her life reminding him that he would have been "nothing" without the help of her family's moola.

It was interesting to read about Pauline's Uncle Gus Pfeiffer, and those members of her family who gave generously, out of the goodness of their hearts, expecting nothing in return.

Her Uncle Gus was most admirable and helpful to Ernest Hemingway and Hemingway appreciated it and dedicated a book to him and gave him two priceless manuscripts. I do not believe nor am I aware of any Hemingway book being dedicated to Pauline. It appears that Uncle Gus Pfeiffer's only agenda was helping a great writer and his niece's husband.

Pauline was more complicated than I had imagined. But, at the end of this sympathetic book, I still don't end up liking her.

As I am interested in Ernest Hemingway, this book was informative and interesting reading. A Moveable Feast (not the restored version) is an indictment of Pauline and her behavior and the only thing that is directly from Ernest Hemingway.

Even in the best and most favorable light, Pauline is someone who ruthlessly (I believe) set out to get Ernest and in the end, lost him in the same way she got him.

anyone who is interested in the life of Ernest Hemingway. This is a good companion book to A Paris Wife because it follows the events of that book. It also follows Hemingway's own, A Moveable Feast.

that this writer makes a great case for the Pfeiffer family, especially Pauline's Uncle Gus.

Pauline Pfeiffer, but that is probably a bias based on liking Hadley Richardson Hemingway Mowrer so much.

read more on Hemingway and so I am and so I will. I studied him in college, but reading his work now is more enlightening than it was way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

like I know Pauline a little better now and I still don't like her.

makes the best case she can for the Pfeiffers. She even comes close to admitting that Pauline was an absentee mother. She wanted kids to cement her hold on Ernest, but it didn't work.

if you are interested in Hemingway as a person, it is fascinating. I am interested and have been since I was in my late teens. A Moveable Feast is my all time favorite book.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of Unbelievable Happiness and Final Sorrow: The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Marriage   from Amazon.Com!

Created Mar 14, 2014 at 12:28pm • Submit your own review...