Do You Know WHAT You're Reading?

The lines are blurrier and blurrier, my reading friends. See this article about two new "independent" magazines on books and authors: Defending the Porous Wall, from January Magazine.

A Moveable Feast -> The Paris Wife

I've tried to like Ernest Hemingway's writing at least once per decade for the last three. I'm 0-3 now, but at least this time I feel a sense of accomplishment.

I read A Moveable Feast to provide a backdrop for the highly recommended A Paris Wife; now I'm looking forward to hearing what Hadley might have had to say, according to Paula McLain. When she wrote A Paris Wife, McLain (who lives in Cleveland) re-imagined the Hemingways' 1920s-era summer in Paris. For what it's worth, McLain was honest enough to label her account "fiction."

Hemingway was coy about just what and how much of A Moveable Feast was real and how much imagined, but he put a nice spin on it:

For reasons sufficient to the writer, many places, people, observations and impressions have been left out of this book. Some were secrets and some were known by everyone... . ... If the reader prefers, this book may be regarded as fiction. But there is always the chance that such a book of fiction may throw some light on what has been written as fact. 

 ----- from the preface of A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway (c) 1964

Unfortunately, the preface was my favorite part of this work of probably-mostly- nonfiction. I'm hoping I enjoy what McLain's 'feast' offers... 

Have you read The Paris Wife and/or A Moveable Feast? If so, please dish! (Groan)