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Love and Ruin

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Love and Ruin

By: Paula McLain
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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In 1937, courageous and independent Martha Gellhorn travels to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War, and finds herself drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in devastating conflict. She also finds herself unexpectedly - and uncontrollably - falling in love with Ernest Hemingway, a man already on his way to being a legend. In the shadow of the impending Second World War, and set against the tumultuous backdrops of Madrid, Finland, China, and especially Cuba, where Martha and Hemingway made their home, their relationship and professional careers ignite.

But when Hemingway publishes the biggest literary success of his career, they are no longer equals, and Martha must make a choice: surrender to the suffocating demands of a domestic lifestyle, or risk losing her husband by forging her way as her own woman and writer. It is a dilemma that will force her to break his heart, and her own.


Based on a true story

Martha Gellhorn was one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20th century

FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLLS was dedicated to Martha, and inspired by the time they were together in Spain. It was Hemingway's most successful book to date, it sold half a million copies within months, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and triumphantly reestablished his literary reputation©2018 Paula McLain Contemporary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War & Military Women's Fiction Heartfelt War Latin America
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Critic Reviews

Beautifully written and, if you want to get a sense of this extraordinary woman, then it is a perfect introduction
Love and Ruin makes for captivating reading, and Gellhorn's a most worthy subject for McLain's skilful portraiture (Lucy Scholes)
Fast paced and compelling, this is a novel that screams out to be filmed, the bantering insolent dialogue and the sparring partner protagonists reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in the film of To Have And Have Not. A complex heartbreaker of a love story that makes for an enthralling read (Charlotte Heathcote)
Romance, infidelity, war - Paula McLain's powerhouse novel has it all
Engrossing . . . [Love and Ruin] spotlights a woman ahead of her time-a fearless reporter who covered the major conflicts of the twentieth century
McLain brings forth the deepest, most ringing elements of both 'love and ruin', the two poles of Marty and Ernest's tempestuous relationship, a ferocious contest between two brilliant, wilful, and intrepid writers. McLain's fast-moving, richly insightful, heartwrenching, and sumptuously written tale pays exhilarating homage to its truly exceptional and significant inspiration
McLain's ability to base a work of fiction on real people is nothing short of superb. Readers may pick up Love and Ruin because of their obsession with Ernest Hemingway, but they'll fall in love with it because of Marty Gellhorn
Engrossing and beautifully crafted
A beautifully written novel
All stars
Most relevant
Yet again Paula Maclain has delved into his-tory and retold it from the POV of a significant woman, in this case, celebrated war correspondent Martha Gellhorn (who also happened to be Hemingway’s third wife). Seen through the modern lens of gender relations, it’s relatable for anyone who’s had to balance career ambitions with societal expectations, and the demands of a needy, jealous partner. Hemingway’s genius cannot obscure his terrible attitude towards women and in particular his view of what a wife should be. I marked it down one star only because I felt the book was overwritten in parts - too much lengthy description of events and scenery, when Maclain’s real skill is in delving into characters and interpersonal relationships. It’s now sent me down the rabbit hole of bingeing on anything I can find on Gellhorn and Hemingway - including the brilliant Ken Burns documentary, and the Hollywood movie (not as good but ok if you’re feeling a bit bereft after the book ends). I had tears in my eyes listening to the author’s note at the end. A matchless life indeed.

Absorbing tale of an incredible life

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