Paula McLain

Paula McLain is a critically acclaimed American author best known for her historical fiction novel, The Paris Wife. She has written several acclaimed works of both fiction and nonfiction, including the New York Times bestseller Love and Ruin, Circling the Sun, and When the Moon is Low. With a background in law and journalism, McLain blends memoir and literary prose to create unique, moving stories of love, loss, identity and ambition.

Born in Fresno, California in the late 1960s, McLain was the eldest of five children in an itinerant family. Her father worked as a prison guard and often traveled for work, leaving the family with little money. With a small library at home, McLain read voraciously as a young girl and soon developed an interest in writing fiction. In her early twenties she experienced homelessness, eventually finding her footing with the help of university scholarships and a strong support system.

McLain was accepted to Antioch College, where she studied literature and creative writing. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 1992 she earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan. From there, McLain became a full-time writer and teacher. After a few false starts, she found encouragement and success with her first novel, Like Family, which was published in 2003.

The Paris Wife, McLain's breakout hit, came to fruition a few years later. It is a fictionalized account of the volatile, yet passionate relationship between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. The novel was inspired by McLain’s own complicated upbringing, along with her interest in Hemingway’s literary genius. The Paris Wife was lauded by critics, as well as readers, who saw in the book an empathetic representation of two complicated, flawed individuals.

Following The Paris Wife, McLain continued to explore complex relationships in her work, tackling topics such as motherhood, the emotional cost of war, and identity in the 21st century. In 2017 she released the widely acclaimed novel Love and Ruin, which details the passionate, yet ultimately destructive love affair between Martha Gellhorn and Hemingway. With strong themes of ambition, integrity, and exploring identity as a woman, Love and Ruin earned McLain the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for best fiction of 2018.

McLain's other books, including Circling the Sun and When the Moon is Low, have been met with similar critical acclaim, further cementing her place as one of the most respected authors of historical fiction. Her work continues to provide insight into the intricacies of human relationships and emotions, and the powerful connection between stories and our lives.



McLain is currently living in Ohio with her husband and three children. In 2019 she was the recipient of the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award. Her latest novel, The Great Alone, was released in 2020.