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2026 Reading Challenge
Paula McLain
40 ratings | 6 reviews | avg rating:4.38

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10th Anniversary of THE PARIS WIFE Absinthe Video
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Paula McLain

Goodreads Author


Born
in Fresno, California, The United States
Website

Genre
Historical Fiction, Suspense, Memoir

Member Since
March 2011


Paula McLain is the author of the New York Times and internationally bestselling novels, The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun and Love and Ruin. Her latest instant bestseller is, When the Stars Go Dark. Her forthcoming novel is Skylark, on shelves 1/6/26. She received an MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan in 1996, and is also the author of two collections of poetry, the memoir Like Family: Growing Up in Other People's Houses, and the debut novel, A Ticket to Ride. Her work has has appeared in The New York Times, Real Simple, Town & Country, The Guardian, Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, and elsewhere. She lives with her family in Cleveland, Ohio. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Hi Paula! I just finished Circling the Sun today, LOVED it. I didn't realize I was a fan of historical fiction until I read the Paris Wife. Do you have a historical character in mind for your next novel?
Paula McLain Thrilled to hear you connected with Circling the Sun, Jenny! I DO have a new idea for a character and have begun writing. This is my absolute favorite…moreThrilled to hear you connected with Circling the Sun, Jenny! I DO have a new idea for a character and have begun writing. This is my absolute favorite part of the process: new obsession! Hopefully the work will go well and I'll have a new manuscript sometime in the new year. Wish me luck... ; )(less)
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How much of your story about Beryl Markham is fact and how much is fiction? Especially the "love affair" with Dennys Finch-Hatton?
Paula McLain Hello, Cherie, and thanks for your question. Although other writers in this genre have their own rules, no doubt, I don't make up events for my histor…moreHello, Cherie, and thanks for your question. Although other writers in this genre have their own rules, no doubt, I don't make up events for my historical characters, or imagine fictional characters for them to interact with--so you can be sure the love story between Beryl and Denys did indeed happen. What I do make up and then dramatize is the inner lives of my characters, their thoughts and feelings, and all the dialogue. I also feel very free to embellish setting and details of place, etc. I hope this answer helps!(less)
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Combine Editions

Average rating: 3.83 · 493,420 ratings · 43,961 reviews · 28 distinct works • Similar authors
The Paris Wife
3.82 avg rating — 304,781 ratings — published 2011 — 7 editions
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Circling the Sun
3.94 avg rating — 81,689 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions
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When the Stars Go Dark
3.84 avg rating — 61,619 ratings — published 2021 — 36 editions
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Love and Ruin
3.86 avg rating — 26,644 ratings — published 2018 — 47 editions
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A Mind of Her Own
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3.18 avg rating — 10,730 ratings — published 2019 — 7 editions
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Ash Wednesday (A Point in T...
4.02 avg rating — 2,156 ratings — published 2022 — 2 editions
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Like Family: Growing Up in ...
3.71 avg rating — 1,877 ratings — published 2004 — 22 editions
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A Ticket to Ride
3.35 avg rating — 1,475 ratings — published 2008 — 22 editions
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Something That Cannot Die
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3.89 avg rating — 656 ratings — published 2020 — 3 editions
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Skylark
4.13 avg rating — 321 ratings — published 2026 — 6 editions
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Paula is Currently Reading

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Paula McLain is currently reading
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Nov 17, 2015 06:30AM

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Skylark by Paula McLain
Skylark
by Paula McLain (Goodreads Author)
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Aug 16, 2025 01:49PM  · 1 like ·   ·  preview book
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Quotes by Paula McLain  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“To hell with them. Nothing hurts if you don't let it.”
― Paula McLain, The Paris Wife
200 likes
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“Books could be an incredible adventure. I stayed under my blanket and barely moved, and no one would have guessed how my mind raced and my heart soared with stories.”
― Paula McLain, The Paris Wife
137 likes
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“It gave me a sharp kind of sadness to think that no matter how much I loved him and tried to put him back together again, he might stay broken forever.”
― Paula McLain, The Paris Wife
tags: brokenness
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Polls

312948
I need your help deciding what book we should read for the first ever Night Shift Reads group read and chat. Pick the book you would most like to read and the book with the most votes will be our inaugural read. The other top choices will show up over the next several months.

 
  13 votes 30.2%

 
  7 votes 16.3%

 
  6 votes 14.0%

 
  5 votes 11.6%

 
  4 votes 9.3%

 
  3 votes 7.0%

 
  2 votes 4.7%

 
  2 votes 4.7%

 
  1 vote 2.3%

 
  0 votes 0.0%

43 total votes
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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS 3942 2762 Nov 30, 2009 09:01PM  
Book Geeks and B...: End-of-Year Favorites List 50 42 Jan 02, 2011 09:21AM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Winter Challenge 2010-2011 Completed Tasks (do not delete any posts) 2578 1108 Feb 28, 2011 09:05PM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Spring Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks (DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS) 2867 1117 May 31, 2011 09:01PM  
Book Nook Cafe: What I read in May 2011 67 85 Jun 17, 2011 07:51AM  
The Life of a Boo...: What To Read in August? 134 376 Jul 31, 2011 06:46AM  
Cover to Cover Ch...: August readathon: Progress and minichallenges 157 98 Aug 17, 2011 08:28AM  

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Paula’s Groups

46194 The Sassy Classy Book Club — 19 members — last activity May 21, 2011 03:30PM
An online book club for those who love to read

Paula’s Friend Comments

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message 1: by Allie
Jan 09, 2012 08:35AM

Allie Smith I adore The Paris Wife...it was wondeful! I went out and bought a Moveable Feast, which I am excited to read. Hope I got the right version, that is good to Hadley!


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