Quotes by Paula McLain

Paula McLain is an American author best known for her historical fiction novels that bring to life the stories of remarkable women from history. Born in Fresno, California in 1965, McLain had a challenging childhood, spending years in the foster care system after being abandoned by her parents. Despite these early hardships, she found solace in writing and literature, eventually earning an MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan.

She gained widespread recognition with her novel The Paris Wife (2011), a fictionalized account of Hadley Richardson, the first wife of Ernest Hemingway, during their time in 1920s Paris. The book was both a critical and commercial success and propelled McLain into literary stardom. Her other works include Circling the Sun, which explores the life of Beryl Markham, a pioneering aviator in colonial Kenya, and Love and Ruin, which revisits Hemingway’s world through the eyes of Martha Gellhorn, another strong woman in his life.

McLain’s writing is known for its lyrical prose, emotional depth, and ability to give voice to overlooked women in history. She blends extensive historical research with compelling storytelling, creating intimate portraits of complex female characters navigating love, ambition, and resilience.