Book Discussion: "Love and Ruin" by Paula McLain

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Class & Event Types:

Books & More
  • Registration is required for this event.
  • Registration will open on May 6, 2026 @ 1:00pm.
  • A library card is not required.

Program Description

Event Details

Please pick up a copy of the book at the hosting branch.

Copies are available starting one month prior to the discussion, while supplies last.

In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It's the adventure she's been looking for and her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. But she also finds herself unexpectedly--and uncontrollably--falling in love with Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.

In the shadow of the impending Second World War, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest's relationship and their professional careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they are no longer equals, and Martha must make a choice: surrender to the confining demands of being a famous man's wife or risk losing Ernest by forging a path as her own woman and writer.

Disclaimer(s)

Accommodations

If you need accommodations for this program, please contact the Library as soon as you are able.

Sponsored by Friends

This event was generously sponsored by the Friends of the Library.