This story is moderately good. Rather than weaving eloquent statements extolling the author, the plot, and the style as most reviewers do, I will simply state the pros and cons, perhaps in a tone that will be worthy of Hemingway himself.

First, I have two major criticisms. I found the plot to be interesting, but unoriginal. Countless novels have been written about guerilla forces fighting behind enemy lines, and a substantial percentage of those books revolved around blowing up a bridge. Fine, it makes for suspenseful (no pun intended) reading. However, I would have thought that he could have come up with a better approach to a war story. Secondly, I found that the sex scenes detracted substantially from the story. While the romance between Robert Jordan and Maria was an integral part of the plot, the sexual content was wholly unnecessary and was at an extreme juxtaposition with my Christian values. I felt that the story would not have lost anything by eliminating those elements.

I did, however, enjoy many things about this novel. Hemingway's style is always intriguing to me, and I love his clipped, terse tone. The Spanish words and phrases scattered liberally through the dialogue added a nice touch as well. More than that, though, I thoroughly enjoyed his social commentary on Spain, and the connections to the poem by John Dunne. Death is really the overriding theme of the book, and I found the philosophy of the interdependency of mankind even in death to be thought-provoking. Lastly, I always appreciate an author who is willing to write about overlooked periods or viewpoints in history. While I found his story to be fairly trite (guy goes with guerilla band to blow up bridge, falls in love with girl, and half of the people die), I loved the setting of the Spanish civil war. I've read very little about that era in history, and so I found it to be informative and inspired some interest in learning more about it.

The ur-text for today's wartime adventure novel, "For Whom The Bell Tolls" remains a standard bearer for pulse-pounding action fiction, and one of the true masterpieces by the most celebrated American author of his time.

Robert Jordan is a Spanish-language instructor from Montana who, now in Spain, has a job of another kind: blow up a critical bridge under enemy control before his comrades, the Republicans of the Spanish Civil War, mount a critical attack. He falls in with a band of motley guerrillas, discovering the joy and passion of life even as he must make peace with the real possibility of his death.

When published in 1940, there was little need to explain the title: the bell was tolling pretty loudly for just about everyone outside of Sweden and Chile as the Axis powers led by Nazi Germany rolled up giant chunks of the globe. Germany's three-year dress rehearsal had been the Spanish Civil War, where they helped Spanish fascists and monarchists overthrow the Marxist-led Republicans while Western democracies watched idly. Ernest Hemingway, a strong supporter of the Republican cause, lost arguably the only country he ever really loved.

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" could have been an exercise in told-you-so or score settling with the right-wing victors Hemingway despised. Yet the story is so engaging - so raw and sweeping in its style, so visceral in form, and undogmatic in outlook - that it is hard to know from reading it just how bruised a champion Hemingway had been for the losing team. The most drawn-out, brutal section of narrative deals with atrocities committed by Republicans, not fascists. Rebels and Republicans alike appear oddly human.

"Do you think you have a right to kill any one? No. But I have to. How many of those you have killed have been real fascists? Very few. But they are all the enemy to whose force we are the opposing force. But you like the people of Navarra better than those of any other part of Spain. Yes. And you kill them. Yes."

That's one of many internal monologues Jordan has with himself in the course of the book, which may annoy some expecting more wall-to-wall action but works fine by me. It's easy imagining oneself pondering similar questions in similar situations, and the running stream-of-consciousness adds to the nail-biting tension.

Hemingway also does very well by the secondary characters, especially the guerrilla band Jordan takes up with. Their leader, Pablo, was a once-ruthless killer of fascists now reduced to drink and train-robbing. "There is not enough of you left to make a sick kitten," says Pablo's bitter woman, Pilar, herself a tigress and Jordan's chief ally. Pilar is both supporter and scoffer of Jordan's budding relationship with Maria, a teenaged rape survivor rescued by the guerrillas. This is not a merry band of outlaws; their very fractiousness draws you in.

As a Sam Peckinpah fan, I was struck by how pleasingly similar "For Whom The Bell Tolls" was to the classic Western desperado saga "The Wild Bunch". Both are straightforward action yarns with a lot of backstory, vivid characters and setting, and a storyline that cleverly pulls you in even as it seems to ramble.

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" is less concerned about the bridge itself (where or when precisely this action is occurring is never spelled out) then the feelings that surround warfare, and how and why one man must do what he can, for as Rick said in "Casablanca", the problems of one man don't add up to a hill of beans in this crazy mixed-up world. Hemingway's ending is less Hollywood but just as stirring, and a fittingly open-ended climax to this singular story.

For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel about love, deception, war, and trustworthiness. Author Ernest Hemingway can be seen as the perfect writer for this book. All novels are not created equally and this one outshines most.

This novel starts off in the midst of the Spanish Civil War in May of 1937. Robert Jordan, the protagonist, is seen in the beginning of the story as an American scientist that wants to blow up a bridge that is being used by the Fascists. The Fascists are people in the war fighting against the Republicans or rebels. Jordan is blocked to this path by a man named Pablo who will not help him with his plans for blowing up the bridge. Pablo, so called leader of the rebels, is the opposite of Jordan by seeing the whole plan as a danger zone for the safety of his men. Pablo's wife Pilar, real leader of the rebels, seems to enjoy the plan and decides to help Jordan out with it. Pablo has been demoted as the leader and now his men blame him for all of the calamities that happen throughout the story, such as the killing of troops just for their horses.

As the story progresses, there is the smell of love in the air when Jordan meets Maria in the rebel camp. Maria is a woman who has been raped by the Fascists and seeks revenge upon them. Maria and Jordan have several "sexual sensations" throughout the novel and they imagine themselves living a normal life after the war is over. This is ironic because things do not work out the way they want to.

By the end of the story, the bridge has been blown apart by Robert and the rebel band, but some people do not make it back alive. Robert Jordan progresses throughout the story as a stiff and unchanging character. He develops a sense of distrust even though he supports the Republican side. Hemingway sets the tone for an appetite of destruction and leads it off into a sense of love and sensation at the end.

This novel can be seen as a great attribute to war fiction by incorporating love and hate into the war zone. Many people should decide to read this book because while reading this book it brings home war in a realistic manner.

In the past few days I have finished reading the internationally acclaimed book "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway. Before I began reading this book I had heard and read from many that the book was a classic and a very good read; after finishing the book I have to say that I completely agree. This book well deserves the praise that it has been given over the years; it is a classic in every sense of the word.
From Hemingway's unmatched descriptions of the beautiful Spanish countryside to the deep inner thoughts and struggles of the people. Hemingway has captured the true inner feelings of the Spanish people in their struggle for their idea of freedom, from the gripping oppression of fascism.
Yet he goes even further, in the unlikely relationship that develops between Robert Jordan and recently rescued Maria. He is still able to show that there is always some good even in some of the darkest situations. From betrayals and tragedy to unlikely and unexpected aid Hemingway covers all spectrums and interests
The only criticism I can give this book is concerning the ending which I personally found unsatisfying but that is for you to decide for yourself. In conclusion I find this book to be a great read for any who feel they are a skilled enough reader to fully appreciate the majesty of this work of art.

Robert Jordan is a young American fighting against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He is sent into the mountains to make contact with a small band of guerillas to blow a bridge in support of an offensive.

Hemingway's tremendous strength of drawing characters that the reader comes to know and care about is on full display in "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Jordan falls in love with the young woman, Maria, who is seeking refuge from a world that has robbed her of her childhood innocence. There is Pablo, the former leader who has seen the futility of the war and cannot face the day without dulling his mind with wine. There is Pilar, Pablo's mate, who longs for her youth, but has now assumed the role of leader and mother to the small group of fighters.

Robert Jordan and the reader come to know the dynamics of the group quite well. Jordan wrestles with the necessity of endangering the group of people for "the cause." This book depicts the contrast of war's brutality with the camaraderie of friends.

"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is considered a classic for a reason. This is a book that has aged well and will stick with the reader for a long time.

I do not like to give too high merit to anything, be it book, movie, CD, simply because I think the imagination can conjure up things reality cannot deliver on. But I feel a responsibilty to share my thoughts - my true impressions of the book, unbridled by any fear of corruption by doing so.

Maybe it was the John Donne quote, maybe it was the writing style, or maybe it was the incredible, moving story that made me, directly after finishing the book, put it down and think it was one of the greatest things I had ever read. Trying to say WHY would take too long and probably not make much sense to anyone else. But I suppose I owe it to readers to try.

Here is what you need to know. This is a love story, a war story, in a sense, a God story (but not what you probably are thinking). It powerfully, deeply, honestly portrays the human experience, in all its doubting, hating, loving, sorrowing fullness.

Read this book. And give it time, because it starts somewhat slow and may turn current readers, who want all action and want to be told plainly everything (they don't like to think or discover meaning for themselves!) Even if you don't like it, you won't be the worse, and at least you can say you've read one of America's best novels (that I have read).

this book is a drunkolgue. of course, it's very well written. the style, is a style of a superb journalist. but the characters' alcoholism is piercing. the choices they make are hardly romantic, rather they are tragic. the emptiness of the spirit hidden behind the spirit of alcohol pierces through. how so many mice and men have fashioned their lives after this novel puzzles me.

Hemingway is a master storyteller, and For Whom The Bell Tolls is a fine example of that mastery. The strengths lie in character development, and thematic presentation. The weaknesses lie in it's style, and language. For example, the use of what passes for colloquial Spanish, particularly in it's profane form, seems artificial and clumsy. I also think elements of the plot tend to weaken or dilute the overall effect of the climax, like when Pilar reads Jordan's palm to tell his future, thus foreshadowing events to come.

That being said, this is a very inspirational book, and Hemingway has a knack for grabbing the reader's attention, and keeping it. He is especially good in his short fiction, and an excellent example of that can be found within this novel, when Pilar tells the tale of her village.
It is perhaps, the single most riveting and effective part of the novel.

For Whom The Bell Tolls is of course one of the great novels to deal with sacrifice for righteous causes, and devotion to higher ideals. It reminds me, in a way, of a Tale of two Cities, in that respect. It is a great noble work, and an indictment of war. There is also a great personal love story here. Hemingway writes (maybe intentionally) very cinematic novels.

On the back cover of this paperback it's noted that Hemingway is known for his "terse" sentences. Did the person writing this "blurb" read the book? Probably not. In parts of this novel the author writes as if possessed by James Joyce, in a stream of consciousness style with long sentences. That's OK, or would be, if they added to the novel but, sorry, they don't. The author is also repetitive, repeating the same point over and over in some cases. But there is no reason in terms of the plot in writing the same point over and over in this book except to (in my opinion) stretch this novella out into almost 500 pages. The first couple and the last couple of chapters are essentially where the action is. One has to ask why this story is so revered and I think the answer is because the author was so admired. The press especially hero-worshiped Hemingway and perhaps this explains the too-much praise for this work. Still, not a bad book and when it's good, it's very good.

On the back cover of this paperback it's noted that Hemingway is known for his "terse" sentences. Did the person writing this "blurb" read the book? Probably not. In parts of this novel the author writes as if possessed by James Joyce, in a stream of consciousness style with long sentences. That's OK, or would be, if they added to the novel but, sorry, they don't. The author is also repetitive, repeating the same point over and over in some cases. But there is no reason in terms of the plot in writing the same point over and over in this book except to (in my opinion) stretch this novella out into almost 500 pages. The first couple and the last couple of chapters are essentially where the action is. One has to ask why this story is so revered and I think the answer is because the author was so admired. The press especially hero-worshiped Hemingway and perhaps this explains the too-much praise for this work. Still, not a bad book and when it's good, it's very good.

This is the first time I've read a novel by Hemingway. It's easy to see why he is so popular. His writing style is simple, but gives the realism and details that lets you know he's "been there".
His description of the joy the American volunteer got simply from stretching his legs deep into his sleeping bag brought back memories for me.
You gotta read Hemingway!

In case you stumble upon this review amidst all of the other droning articles, I'll try to keep mine short.

This was my first Hemingway, I finished it just recently, and man is he overrated. There are moments of greatness within the pages, and as for the simple act of creating a story, placing characters and orchestrating a chain of events, the guy wasn't bad.

Unfortunately his pretentious writing style bleeds through on nearly every single page, so absurdly that it disrupts from the actual story. I loved the characters, I was intrigued by the plot, but halfway through I realized that I was FORCING myself to continue reading because the poor old bastard kept getting so far gone on his cheesy tangents of love, and of the minor backstories of characters found only within the backstories of supporting characters (Pilar's matador's tale that consumed four or five pages) that the story suffered greatly.

Hemingway fancied himself a wordsmith I suppose, and therefore managed to crowbar the word "now" about fifty times into a single paragraph, often repeating the word up to four times in a row, and the truly funny part is that people regard him as a genius for it.

So after experiencing Hemingway I can honestly say that I won't be going back, and I can only envy his success.

In case you stumble upon this review amidst all of the other droning articles, I'll try to keep mine short.

This was my first Hemingway, I finished it just recently, and man is he overrated. There are moments of greatness within the pages, and as for the simple act of creating a story, placing characters and orchestrating a chain of events, the guy wasn't bad.

Unfortunately his pretentious writing style bleeds through on nearly every single page, so absurdly that it disrupts from the actual story. I loved the characters, I was intrigued by the plot, but halfway through I realized that I was FORCING myself to continue reading because the poor old bastard kept getting so far gone on his cheesy tangents of love, and of the minor backstories of characters found only within the backstories of supporting characters (Pilar's matador's tale that consumed four or five pages) that the story suffered greatly.

Hemingway fancied himself a wordsmith I suppose, and therefore managed to crowbar the word "now" about fifty times into a single paragraph, often repeating the word up to four times in a row, and the truly funny part is that people regard him as a genius for it.

So after experiencing Hemingway I can honestly say that I won't be going back, and I can only envy his success.

Hemingway has a way of getting into our heads. The characters are plain spoken; almost Shakespearean at times; with powerful, philosophical paragraphs sprayed in. His interest in bullfighting is obvious if you have read any of his work; and is not ignored here. Against the rules of writing he uses the Spanish tongue; although irritating, he gets away with it.

Set in the mid 1930's, and centered around an American munitions expert fighting to help the cause of removing the Germans, Italians, and the rest of the fascist armies from out of Spain. He links up with a group of cave dwelling partisans outside of town. Much of the book is spent on his relationship with this group and him falling in love with a young girl, whom he can never have.

Some may object to the ending, but I found it fitting; "I man's gota' do, what I man's gota' do"

Wish you well
Scott

Ernest Hemingway wrote another great adventure story with FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS. His style is very vivid, and reading the book is like being on the scene of the Spanish Civil War itself. Prior to reading FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, I had read all his short stories while taking a short story course in college, then THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA. The short stories vary in style, except that they are also written in short sentences, just as Hemingway preferred. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA tends to be boring, but FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is fascinating throughout. I just wish I had the time to read more of Hemingway's novels, just to see what they are like.

Hemingway's "For Whom the Bells Toll" an entertaining read but more importantly a very moving read. It does not say that war is terrible it says what's terrible about war. Everything in the book has a meaning; the imagery beautifully shows Robert's changing understanding about life, the allusions show an interesting blend between Spanish and American influences, and his abstinence personification and metaphors shows how concentrated Hemingway is on real life. However the symbolism found in real life is surprisingly poetic especially in the book, where Robert lay at the same position he did as the book started only this time he lays with his heart against the forest floor. This of course means he learned how to use his heart by connecting it to the love interest Maria, who symbolizes Spain the country Robert finds his family in. Truly the lessons learned by Robert is the lessons every one learns, and Hemingway was smart enough to put it into a thrilling war novel with impeccable historical influences.

I first read this about 40 years ago. I just re-purchased it. This is a classic novel.

The Spanish Civil War was surely the most brutal and tragic civil war of the twentieth century. It not only pitted Spaniard against Spaniard, but became a kind of bloody curtain-raiser for World War II, with Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Italy lining up on the side of Franco's insurgents and the USSR backing the embattled left-leaning Republic. (The Western democracies - who might have prevented Spain from going fascist - followed a pusillanimous "hands off" policy which only emboldened the insurgents and their supporters.) Into this vortex came many writers and intellectuals. They were to witness brutality, betrayals, great valour, the corruption of ideals, and the consequences of ruthless Realpolitik.

So with all that in mind, here's an interesting question. If you were an author trying to write the great Spanish Civil War novel, would you choose to (1) sequester your handful of characters up in the mountains away from the main action; (2) write 500 pages covering a mere three days during which time nobody has anything to do; and (3) make the central character non-Spanish?

500 pages about three days of waiting is the book's central problem. It turns the novel into the opposite of an epic. To have taken a canvas as sweeping as the three years of the Spanish Civil War and shrink it down to such a compass-point was an unfathomable decision on the author's part. From this self-inflicted literary ambush there is no escape for Hemingway: you either need excellent descriptive prose or superb psychological insight to carve a good story from such crooked timber, for, after all, what else is left to describe in such a situation save inner musings and the outer landscape?

The prose is the next problem. Much has been made of Hemingway's 'deceptively simple' writing style. However, I found it impossible to read "For Whom the Bells Tolls" without forming the impression that that his reputation for putatively well-masked complexity is itself the deception. Consider the following extracts [from the Vintage edition]:

A hole in a hillside is described as:

"both deep and profound"
[p. 444]

Characters exchange such dialogue as:

'Well, then. Oh, then. Oh, then. Oh.'
[p. 166]


'Maria.'
'Yes.'
'Maria.'
'Yes.'
'Maria.'
'Oh, yes. Please.'
[p. 272]

'But use thy head. Thou hast much head. Use it.'
[p. 444]

Which brings us to the Hemingway penchant for meaningless repetition:

"In an impossible situation you hang on until night to get away. You try to last out until night to get back in. You are all right, maybe, if you can stick it out until dark and then get back in."
[p. 174]

"So a woman like that Pilar practically pushed this girl into your sleeping bag and what happens? Yes, what happens? What happens? You tell me what happens, please. That is just what happens. That is exactly what happens."
[p. 175]

Followed by some impressive run-on rants as the author becomes completely carried away describing love scenes (How many women - even in the thirties - were seduced by being repeatedly called 'rabbit'?)

My favourite passage is when one of the characters reveals to Joaquín that la Pasionara has a son in Russia. Instead of naming the character, Hemingway chooses to write the following clanking line:
"'If we insult them a little?' the man who had spoken to Joaquín about la Pasionara's son in Russia asked."
[p. 324]


On and on it goes like this. For three days. In a cave. This book has now gone into the umpteenth printing and neither the spelling nor grammar have been corrected ("... the flakes was dropping diagonally ..." [p. 185]; "... and then brining it down ..." [p. 213]; "... the felling when the Inglés gave the order ..." [p. 380]; at one point André Marty is referred to as "Mary" [p. 437]).

So it needs to be said openly. Hemingway pundits who make excuses for this sort of thing have a lot of explaining to do: otherwise they are obliged to defend similarly poor writing when they find it outside the world of Nobel laureates.

I read this book a couple years ago and loved it. War, adventure, love, it's like The Princess Bride minus lighthearted fairytale-ness. I highly recommend it.

must be where Metallica got the song name from. Anyways this is one of but many authors that, like Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain decided to take the easy way out. In the meantime he penned this great literature that is a great book. I don't care what anybody says, the old man and the sea is boring and short and so with that I bid you good day and happy reading!

This was my first time reading a book by Hemingway, and it was not all I had hoped for. The Spanish Civil War is one of my major interests (it was the subject of my undergraduate research thesis) and so I ordered this book with great anticipation. Unfortunately, I was not completely satisfied.

"For Whom the Bell Tolls" gives a great understanding of the personalities and characters of the Spanish people. It also is balanced in the sense that it shows that atrocities were committed by both sides.

However, my main complaint with the book is that it seems like nothing happens. It is not until probably the last 100 pages or so that action begins to take place. (Granted, there were many instances during the Spanish Civil War where the lines were at a standstill and nothing DID happen, so perhaps in that sense it is quite accurate). But despite how much Hemingway tries to build up to the destruction of the bridge, it's not exciting by the time you actually get to that point.

The other thing that irritated me (and this is just as a Spanish speaker) was that the dialogue is written as though it was literally translated word-for-word from Spanish conversation rather than translated for meaning. For example, the dialogue reads, "That he comes soon," ("que venga pronto") instead of, "I hope he comes soon," or "He better come soon." It just makes the dialogue awkward and unnatural.

Despite my complaints, I will not let this be my only reading of Hemingway and I will try out something else of his in the near future.

Just about anything Hemingway ever wrote was pretty good and you really can't go wrong with him if you're looking for a good read. He is at his very best, though, in this one. It was written at the peak of his power and is rightly considered one of the great novels of the twentieth century.

Like all great novels it gives you new insight as you reread it over the years. When a teenager, I recall being enthralled by the love story and the pure adventure of it. As a young adult, it was the tragicomic nature of the characters which was so engrossing. Later on as an adult, I was struck by Hemingway's view of the bleak, futile nature of human endeavor. This time around it was the political discourse I found to be thought-provoking; sections of the novel that in the past I had pretty much glossed through.

A lot of the talk--from all of the characters--was that in order to make change, it was necessary to kill those who stood in the way of it. Each of them to varying degrees agreed with this. And it struck me that this was the prevailing worldwide philosophy of the time. Hitler and Stalin, of course, were the extreme examples, but this kind of thinking was prevalent here as well. There was an awful lot of sympathy in the good ole U. S. for what the Soviet Union was trying to accomplish, and although we never got to the point in this country where people were getting killed, FDR wielded his power like it was his personal possession. The point, I think, is that there is always someone in the world who is absolutely sure they know what's best for you. When someone like this gets in power, watch out.

In any event, Hemingway is pretty even-handed about it and this commentary is actually only a small part of the novel. The story, as everybody knows, is about American Robert Jordan, who is sent by his communist masters during the Spanish Civil War to the mountains in order to blow up a bridge. There he is assisted by the guerrilla band led by Pilar and Pablo, which is comprised of the most memorable set of characters you will ever meet in literature.

There is old Anselmo, perhaps the noblest of them all, dedicated and faithful to the cause, who agonizes over those he must kill and prays that he will be forgiven. There is Rafael the gipsy, incapable of staying at his post as he delightedly snares a couple of plump rabbits. There is the stolid and dull Fernando, oblivious to wit or double-entendre. There is the fierce Augustin, utterly committed to the cause.

And then there is Maria, the nineteen-year old refugee--with deep, horrible secrets--and with whom Roberto falls hopelessly in love. It is the kind of love affair that is utterly captivating to the reader and the kind of thing that only great authors are able to pull off. Robert is drawn to her coltish, long-legged grace; her cropped, red hair; her brown, swarthy skin. Hemingway spends a lot of time on Robert's thoughts about her, and a lot of time with the two of them together. Their spoken endearments to one another--often playful, sometimes silly, occasionally solemn--could have easily slipped into the realm of the ridiculous, but never does under the sure hand of the great Hemingway. It is instead extremely moving and it should be mentioned that this is extremely risky to pull off.

And Pablo. Once the fiercest of the Republicans, he is now well-fed and content in his mountain hideaway, has a dozen or so horses that make him rich, and knows that the actions contemplated by Roberto will bring an end to his safety. He is a schemer, Pablo, a clever, ruthless wretch, and many of the plot twists stem from his machinations.

And finally, Pilar; the spectacular, magnificent Pilar; Pablo's wife. Her character is justifiably recognized for her description of the smell of death, and her description of the day that the loyalists drove the fascists out of her town--by forcing them to jump to their deaths, one at a time, over a cliff--but to me it is the smaller things that make her such an unforgettable character. She is bitter when the young man turns away from her when he is asked to kiss her, understanding that she has never been beautiful, and knowing now that she is, to him, repulsive. She describes in memorable detail her love affair with a matador in Valencia, and how she drank cold beer with the sweat dripping off the glass while he napped in the room behind her. She is coarse and often crude, but never cruel; she is hard as stone, but as deeply compassionate as anyone. She is a gipsy and a saint and the greatest creation of Hemingway's career.

There is much more to talk about. The style of course, is all Hemingway, typically descriptive and insightful. But this novel is much richer. For once, with his excellent use of interior monologue--a practice he had been experimenting with for years--we finally get to know his characters in depth, rather then just viewing them from the outside like they are on a movie screen.

Typically, his use of language is direct and to the point, but again, he is at his best in this one, so much so that he occasionally treads into the realm of the delightful. For example, by design or by necessity, Hemingway did not use obscene words in the novel. His creativity, though, in expressing the vulgar is nothing less than a thrill. Here are the first words out of Pilar's mouth, early on, as she castigates the gipsy: "What are you doing now, you lazy drunken obscene unsayable son of an unnamable unmarried gipsy obscenity? What are you doing?" Absolutely hilarious, and there is no way this could have been done better using any kind of vocabulary.

Plot, characters, theme, everything. One of the greatest at his best. A novel not to be missed.

The last time I read Hemingway's novels was some ten years ago in Spain. I thought I was pretty cool. I read "The Sun Also Rises and A Farwell to Arms." I don't recall what I thought of them. But one thing I do know is that it is sometimes difficult to separate the legacy or mystique of certain writers from the work at hand.

I thought most of the book was very well done. The reality of war was crafted in a way that compares well to more modern portraits of war ("The Things They Carried," "Apocalypse Now," "Deer Hunter," "Jarhead"). The true violence of humiliation, dehumanization, and violation are hauntingly evoked. There are scenes in this novel that I will not forget: the killing of the fascists in Pablo and Pilar's village, the rape of Maria and the murder of her parents, the death of Anselmo at the bridge. The portrayal of men and women, those who try to hold on to some sort of moral clarity and those who lose their bearings, was brilliant. When it comes to men at war, the book shines.

A technique that I found interesting was the way that Hemingway created the absent character of Kashkin. He serves as a counter point to Robert Jordan and as an example of all that could and eventually does happen. The absent character adds depth to the novel; it gives a skeleton upon which to hang the clothes of the past.

However, there were places in the book where I felt uncomfortable, like watching the awkward intimacies of adolescents. The love scenes in the book were failures. And I keep trying to figure out why.

One reason perhaps is that they happened without enough development. Like some romantic comedy, the two lovers see one another and almost instantly fall in love. Granted, the entire novel takes place in three days, but every other part of the narrative is carefully developed. Though the timeframe is compact, there is plenty of space in the narrative. The book is nearly 500 pages long. The sex, the declarations of love, the intimacy, it all seems hollow.

In every other place in the novel there is complexity, nuance. But when it comes to romance, to the issue of love, the novel falls into absolutes and clichés. Robert Jordan is too righteous in his love for Maria. He is too loyal, too gentle. They love each other fully and doubtlessly. And in a novel that creates such a real portrait of war and moral ambiguity; complexity in loyalty, politics, allegiance, nationality, and idealism, to offer the reader such an ordinary, pop-song rendition of love nearly justifies skipping every section where one sees the words "little rabbit."

Hemingway attempts to integrate language into the story by employing the occasional Spanish word along with an antiquated sort of English, full of thou and thee. This is supposed to simulate Catalan. But it does not work. It just makes characters that talk funny.

But of course, it is after all Hemingway. And everybody should read it.

Five stars are not enough for the audio of this book narrated by Campbell Scott. I do not speak Spanish or know much about the Spanish Civil War or the geography of Spain. It did not matter. This is a great, gripping story.

Robert Jordan is a wonderful character -- macho, intelligent, generous, deliberate. Pablo and El Sordo, guerilla leaders, and Pilar, the "woman of Pablo" and Roberto's change agent, are fascinating, as are several Russians and Fernando, the rather prim guerilla. Other characters are colorful, but not as engaging. Hemingway tries very hard, but cannot quite bring Maria, the love interest, to life.

The issues are how to die well, the roles of individuals and small groups in large movements and wars, and whether any reform movement can change a country. (Robert Jordan approaches, but does not reach the conclusion "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Won't get fooled again.") Also, does religion mean anything and is it merely "the opium of the people"? Is it possible to live and die without religion when one was raised with it?

Campbell Scott should get an Academy Award for this narration. He voices all of the characters well. (It is hopeless for a man to read Maria's perpetually ernest -- no pun intended -- lines.) He conveys the irony, the disgust, the subtle sparring very well. He switches from the choppy Hemingway style for Robert Jordan's thoughts to the cadences of Spanish and Russian for the others. He absolutely brings the story and the characters to life. I have listened to many books on tape (and CD) and this is hands down the best. Very highly recommended. (Thanks, Dad, for giving it to me.)

In the audio edition, even the incidental music is perfect, as are the pauses before it begins and after it ends. It is just about a perfect production. (A map of in the CD box would make it perfect. It should identify all the places named in the text and shows the rivers and roads mentioned -- and the bridge!! -- even if this requires more than one map. Next best alternatives would be a CD or website with this info. But it would be best to have a hard copy with the audio CDs. Stephen Ambrose audio tapes about WWII came with maps like this and they were very helpful. This would help any edition of the book in any medium, as would a bibliography of the Spanish Civil War. [...]

I read this as a teenager and enjoyed it. Back then, I thought that there might be many books this good out there in the world. It turns out that there are not many books this good.

I love this one. Great book. Ive read it 4 times now and each time it gets better and better. You begin to see things you didnt at first and then everything is more clear and its just great. A must have for every book lovers library

Hemingway displays his narrative powers and his command of English prose in this novel that has a standard plot, i.e., a man on a mission, with the ambiguities that come with standing up for an idealistic cause. Robert Jordan has committed himself to his wartime assignment: to go behind 'enemy' lines so as to blow up a critical bridge to help the Republican cause prior to a battle. Unlike the obsessive focus of a novel like 'Bridge on the River Kwai,' Hemingway shows the fallibility of idealism, revolutionaries that are not immune to disillusionment, and the self-serving actions of those who have fought for a selfless cause but get more and more self-involved as their nerves and wits are constantly challenged. The band of partisans, for example, Augustine, Pilar, a gypsy, a disillusioned commander who live behind enemy lines are seen to have their idealism slowly unravel while holding on the the core belief they have in the "Republic." Robert Jordan splits his attention between dealing with the interpersonal conflicts of the partisans with his professional, expert planning of an experienced 'terrorist.' This dichotomy allows Hemingway to present the propostion that the external idealistic face we show to the world cannot but be tempered by doubt, as none of us know the future. This novel is a marvel in that it succeeds in showing 'ordinary' people deal with extraordinary events. This work is important today when used to explain current thinking (or thoughtlessness) of our leaders. John McCain has said this book is his favorite novel. It is not surprising as he is man who takes war seriously, refuses to idealize our 'mission', knows the profound shortcomings of men and women who refuse to accept ambiguity into our lives. And the result of this unidimensional thinking: The daily body count reported from Iraq, about which much is said and little is done.

Hemingway deftly walks us into the heart of war and a man caught between his loyalty to his position in the military and his love for Pilar, a woman like no other. Some highly memorable scenes and conflicts prove this novel's place as a classic.

-- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

Hemingway deftly walks us into the heart of war and a man caught between his loyalty to his position in the military and his love for Pilar, a woman like no other. Some highly memorable scenes and conflicts prove this novel's place as a classic.

-- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

For Whom the Bell Tolls (FWTBT), a masterpiece no doubt, combined with the superb reading of Campbell Scott, exceeds any book I have ever heard on Audio. Though judging it only in terms of the audio book, it compares with no fiction I have ever heard or read, and I have read and heard a lot.

There are a few books that I have encountered that merited a second read or in this case listen, the Bible being one. But after listening to FWTBT, I went and purchased a book about the Spanish Civil War, read it and then listened to FWTBT again, now understanding some of the context and players better. It was even more rewarding the second time. I am by no means saying you must first know something about that war to enjoy this book. You don't. But the read is improved in the same way an exquisite wine or cigar is improved with age.

In summary, an awesome work, such as I have never experienced. The Master (Hemingway) read by a master in his own right (Scott).

For Whom the Bell Tolls is quite simply one of the best novels ever written. Honestly, I had relatively low expectations before reading it. I read A Farewell to Arms and found the terse, repetitive prose and stilted dialogue underwhelming. For Whom the Bell Tolls is superior to A Farewell to Arms in every way. This is a complex novel with some of the most memorable characters in modern literature.

This mesmerizing novel neither glorifies war, not does it vilify it. Hemmingway's detached prose is world weary, exposing both sides of the conflict, allowing us to see that war, inevitable and futile, is never simple. Characters on both sides of the conflict struggle with their own fears and regrets. Both sides commit, and are subjected to, the atrocities and horrors of war. As different as each side may think they are from the other, in the end, they are all human and are not as different as they think.

For Whom the Bell Tolls is riveting and powerful, easily one of the ten best novels of the 20th century. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I revisited this book in my early 40's and came away resold on Hemingway as one of America's greatest writers and an artist who stands the test of time. It's a shame, in fact, that Hemingway's caricature-friendly persona, life and writing style have sometimes obsured his work. Forget the macho image and the stories of drinking and hunting. He is an artist of the first order.

For Whom... is a novel about the important things -- life, love, death, fear, the attraction and horror of war. What struck me throughout was how innocent the characters are and how genuinely Hemingway depicts the most difficult subjects, be it war (in this case the Spanish Civil War) or the love between Maria and Robert Jordan.

Hemingway is a writer we need in our times. He focuses on the big, important issues without cynicism, and never shies from exposing what is in our hearts and minds. A classic.

I'm a middle-aged middle-class guy. I read this recently, since it has a reputation as one of the great Amerian novels, and my particular HS required no Hemingway. I figured the time had come.

So now, having read it, I think For Whom the Bell Tolls was an important milestone, something of a product of its times. There was not yet such a body of anti-war or humanist literature as there is now...perhaps Hemingway played a role in creating that. Still, it is not just an anti-war book; intelligent people have known a long time, as Sherman put it, that war is simply "brutality" that cannot be made pretty. So this is not Hemingway's main point. If anything, he even sounds pro-war in the brief sections that justify the Spanish Civil War and the fight against the Fascists. (He seems a little blind to the pact the Spanish Republicans made with the devil, i.e. the Russian communists, but history had not yet proven the bloodthirstiness and corruption of the Soviet Union.)

Hemingway's main theme in this book is personal honor, and how personal concerns affect one's perceptions and may override original, idealistic motives. The hero, American dynamiter Robert Jordan, has snuck behind Fascist lines to help destroy a bridge and aid a planned Republican frontal attack. But three things happen - his guerilla teammates are led by a very disillusioned old veteran, who argues bitterly with his tough old wife; and Robert falls in love Maria, with a refugee they are sheltering, raped and nearly killed by the Fascists. Finally, his spying reveals the front is losing the element of surprise. In this dangerous situation, he wants to call it all off, and retreat to a life of happiness with Maria. Sorry, no further plot will be revealed here....

This way we get to study two different couples. We learn that Pablo and Pilar, the guerillas, have killed many people, up-close and personal. Pablo seems to have enjoyed it. Pilar did less hands-on killing but she and the others are still dedicated to the cause. Now here comes an outsider, a handsome young American with no real dog in this fight, bringing the front closer just when Pablo has had enough. Even worse, he falls for Maria, and sleeps with her in his own bag, outside the cave. (The love scenes, though not very graphic, are pretty juicy for their time.) Pilar tries to bolster Robert's resolve, even plotting against her husband. Maria is lost without Robert, and will follow him anywhere. But where will Robert end up going? He has committed himself, and he wants to fulfill his duty as a matter of honor. What destiny will bring the best honor for both himself and Maria? Having sacrificed so much so far, what further sacrifice do any of these people need to maintain their honor?

Unlike many contemporary books, FWTBT does not have a big, overwhelming climax. Instead, the ending unfolds in a way that you might have expected, as you read it. This unfortunately left me a little cold, unable to decide whether I Love the Book, the way I do some others. But it is an indispensable milestone. Perhaps better read if you are not already so jaded or anti-war that you can't conceive of a cause worth fighting for.

If you read only one, perhaps this should be it. I am not a trained student of Hemingway, or of literature for that matter. I know what I like, and I can recognize junk. You don't have to be an expert or even fully understand the author and his times to appreciate what a superb novel this is. As I was reading it, I could realize why Hemingway was so honored, even during his lifetime. The story is basic, though the setting is in unsual one for most American readers (who today probably would guess that the "Spanish Civil War" has something to do with General Lee and the Alamo). The main character, Robert Jordan, is an American leftist attached to a guerilla unit in the Spanish mountains. Like Hemingway, Jordan is intelligent, deliberate, controlled, passionate, and motivated by his ideals. Through him the reader encounters the chaos of this amateur war that is being played by foreign professionals. The entire book, which is of some size, revolves around one mission and take places over only a couple of days. In addition to a political statement and a philosophical autobiography, this is a superb war novel. The book build up the mission (to destroy a bridge) so much that by the closing pages of the book, as the mission is unfolding, my heart was literally racing and I could not put the book down. I won't spoil it - but this one ends like so may of EH's books, and like EH thought life itself would end . . . .
Great book - don't miss this classic.

Someone should rush into George W Bush's office with a copy of this book. It's not anti-war, but it is about what Wilfird Owen called 'the pity of war', the terrible ironic waste of camaraderie and love and stories and landscapes, and the value of the life of just one man.

So many reviews summarise the plot, so I'll refrain. It's almost like Hamlet, though; Robert Jordan has to blow a bridge, but four acts go by before he acts. In that space, he and we learn what the act will really mean - nothing, in terms fo the war, but everything to him. he's like a matador, int eh pause between the bull's turn and his impact. The whole book is lit up with Robert's mortality.

And it sounds amazing, lyrical, not entirely spare, but with half-heard rhythms as steady as pulses.

I liked Maria. I know I'm swimming against the feminist stream, but why not goodness in a heroine instead of the tiresome feistiness we've all seen so much of lately?

Pilar, however, is not tiresome, and to meet her is alone enough to put this book at the top of any list of tO read books you may be making. She shines because it is SHE whoo is Hemingway - yes, folks, he was fat and a bit food-obssessed. And she is the storyteller. Hemingway was interested in that kind of transgression - read Garden of Eden. But read this first.

"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a perfect example of what makes Ernest Hemmingway one of, if not the, preeminent writers of the first half of the 20th Century.

Although his machismo style does not appeal to everyone, (especially the feminists who find his portrayals of women to be degrading and unrealistic) this is a perfect example of his style and of the cruel realities of the world of his time.

Hemingway's signature terse writing style lends itself perfectly to the telling of the story of the loyalist guerillas during the Spanish Civil War. His writing style perfectly captures the way of thinking one would have while in such a situation.

Although undoubtedly the love story between Robert Jordan and Maria is weak, yet it doesn't detract from the overall beauty and poignancy of the story, for first and foremost this is a war story.

Hemingway does what he does best in "For Whom The Bell Tolls", which is to capture a slice of life from a bygone era. Although set 70 years ago, Hemingway's story has as much meaning in a modern setting as they did when they were written. It is a true classic in every sense of the word.

For Whom The Bell Tolls is a tour de force in more ways then one and ends being Hemingway's best work because of how accesible it is to a general audience.

The first time I read this book I was 17 and I couldn't put it down which is a stark contrast to some of Hemingway's other works. Works like The Sun Also Rises, and Farewell To Arms I think require a bit more maturity to appreciate but FWTBT is a good pick for a more advanced high school student. The novel is more plot driven than Hemingway's other works and thus a bit more exciting and readable for the general public. Hemingway's story of an American demolition expert caught up in a mission amidst the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War is both compelling, suspensefull, thoughtfull, brutal and heartwarming all at once.

Like many "classic" this book excels in most elements that are required for an amazing piece of literature. The charactization is superb. Robert Jordan and the supporting cast are fully fleshed out three dimensional characters. Of course the book is written in the classic Hemingway style. His own style of prose will put you into story as you live this three day adventure with the main characters. Finally there are many layers and themes to this book as it has something to say about war, man, personal honor and the usual Hemingway themes.

This was Hemingway's second to last novel and the last of his more well known works. Having read most of his books, I think Hemingway really hit his peak here and fine tuned his craft. A truly amazing piece of work, FWTBT should really be read by everyone. If you only read one Hemingway book in your life this should be it. You don't need to be "well read" to appreciate this.

Bottom Line: There is a reason why certain books are deemed "classics". FWTBT is the perfect example.

My body and most of my brain is in Calgary, but there is a part of me at the foot of a limestone cave in the mountains of Spain watching a man named Robert(o) negotiate aide in a war I'd never learned about.

Vaguely, I was aware that in the last century Spain had a civil war. I was not aware it was Republicans vs. Fascists. I can't say I knew it was wedged right between the two world wars. I had, from time to time, wondered why Spain was left out of the second but having never asked - I forgot about it.

In Hemmingway and Steinbeck both, I'm beginning to understand the very weight of the Communist issue in 1930s America. Accusing someone of being a communist was a very serious charge. Even in Spain (Robert is an American on the Republic side of the war) a man is called a communist and reacts as though it was his life he is protecting in denying the slander.

I think that period writers such as these are really instrumental in keeping history alive. The books are much easier to read than Non-Fiction (for me at least) and there aren't enough people around from that time to talk about it anymore.

The flip side to appreciating what a fictional author can bring is that, as in this, only a few players are introduced. Hemmingway's Roberto was a fantastic character who held dread on equal weight as hope. In the three days the book spanned I felt as if I was living along side Roberto. I watched him plot his offensive; understood as he explained it to his comrades; rationalized the perils of the pending attack. Mostly though, I fell in love with him as Maria did and fell in love with her equally.

As exciting as all that is, the repercussions of war were heavily felt as I edged on the last pages of the book. It is heavy material and it wasn't as quick to get through as I have found other books that I have loved.

The 470 could have easily been 900 pages and I would have read it still, devouring every word. Give yourself the time to read it, as you may have to put it down a few times in the process.

This book has everything. War, Romance, and the little known history of the Spanish Civil War.

Hemingway is at his best in this book. His keen journalistic eye doesn't miss a detail.

Although the era he is writting about has long since gone by the reader cannot help but be pushed back in time.

There is one scene that always sticks in my mind. I think Pablo's mujer is telling Robert Jordan about a village they "cleaned" of fascist. The details of the brutality in that section of the book will give any reader a glipse of what war is.

Set during the Spanish Civil War, Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American who is serving as a demolitions expert for the Republican cause. The novel follows his experiences with a band of guerrilla fighters as he undertakes a mission to blow up a strategic bridge. The whole novel, except for some flashbacks and reminiscences of various characters, covers just a few days.

Although the novel focuses on a small number of characters in a fairly compressed time period, Hemingway attains a real epic feel with this book. The novel is fairly lengthy (471 pages in the 2003 Scribner edition), but I found it to be a swift read--indeed, often difficult to put down. There is much that is noteworthy about this novel. It offers a compelling perspective on war from the viewpoint of guerrilla forces, rather than conventional forces (interested readers might want to check out Mao Tse-Tung's "On Guerrilla Warfare" for some theoretical and historical perspective). The novel also deals with the phenomenon of ideologically committed foreign forces in Spain's Fascist-versus-Republican conflict.

Hemingway deals with the issues of love and sex in a combat zone, as well as with the roles of women in a guerrilla force. Other significant issues include loyalty, leadership, communications, military hardware, the impact of weather and terrain, and the connection between guerrilla and conventional forces. Particularly interesting is Hemingway's portrait of Robert Jordan as a technically and tactically skilled guerrilla fighter, and as a leader of guerrilla fighters. Thus the book should interest not just lovers of literature, but also serious military professionals and students of the history of warfare.

Hemingway offers a grim and graphic look at the brutality of 20th century warfare. War is not glamorized or sanitized, and atrocities are described in unflinching detail. The characters explore the ethics of killing in war. As the story progresses, Hemingway skillfully peels back the layers of Jordan and other characters to reveal their psychological wounds. But the book is not all about pain and violence. In the midst of war Hemingway finds the joy and beauty that keep his characters going. He also incorporates storytelling as a powerful motif in the book; his characters share stories with each other, recall missing untold stories, or resist a story too hard to bear. In Hemingway's world storytelling is as essential a human activity as eating, fighting, and lovemaking.

Hemingway's writing appeals to all the senses as he creates some vivid scenes. He demonstrates his mastery of the art of fiction; he continually makes interesting choices and creates some really striking and beautiful passages. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is an exceptionally haunting work of literature; I consider this rich and rewarding text to be an essential volume in the canon of war fiction. For intriguing companion texts that also deal with the Spanish Civil War, I recommend "Spain's Cause Was Mine: A Memoir of an American Medic in the Spanish Civil War," by Hank Rubin, and "The Confessions of Senora Francesca Navarro and Other Stories," by Natalie L. M. Petesch.

I was excited to read my first Hemmingway book. I labored through the extremely cumbersome and boring narratives hoping that eventually it would pay off, unfortunately it never did. I know it's fiction and everything but the way Hemmingway has Pilar describe past events for pages and pages is very unrealistic. The book finally gets good about 34 Chapters into it whith the raid on El Sordo's band which is the highlight of the book. Maria is annoying. The narrative is confusing. If you are looking for a classic I recommend skipping this book. I plan on reading "The Old Man and the Sea" next. Hopefully Hemmingway will redeem himself in that book. I honestly do not see why people consider this a classic. It was a waste of time.

Poor Papa has become such a caricature, it is easy to forget that he was the source and inspiration for countless writers. On rereading For Whom the Bell Tolls, I was reminded of what thrilled me long ago when one could speak of "serious" fiction without ironic intent.

Exoticism
All of Hemingway's work has an exotic locale with an unusual American driving the narrative. In this novel, Robert Jordan, a professor from Montana, is a demolition operative with a group of guerillas in the Spanish Civil War. He lives in the mountains, eats rabbit stew with partisans, is fluent in the dialect, makes love with a senorita in his sleeping bag, destroys bridges with steely skill and faces death with aplomb.

Style
Hemingway's direct and lucid style is in full form. It sounds great when read aloud. Nobody did it better.
In this novel, much of the dialogue is memorable because of the literal translation from peasant Spanish. No English speakers would carry on as they do, and the arcane cant with its earthy directness permeates the whole novel.
In 1940, Hemingway was unable to use 4-letter curses. He had to substitute the word "obscenity" or "nameless" yielding something like "I obscenity in the milk of your nameless mother." Well, it's not very shocking, but I'm happy old Hem was stuck with that translation. Had the Bell been fouled with English vulgarities, it would have come off today as quite common and the exoticism would be considerably dampened.

Women
Maria is Robert Jordan's love, but she is unremarkable as a character. In those times, a warrior's love interest had to be air-headed and adulatory. However, Pilar, the woman who commands the guerillas is an unforgettable person. She is too fat and ugly to bed, but her skill as a story-teller and judge of people are superb.

Politics
In politics Hemingway was pro-peasant and he fought facists throughout Europe. In his latter years he complained about J. Edgar Hoover tailing him, and perhaps it was not delusory. Americans who assisted the Republicans (they were the good-guys in that time and place) were branded as Commies and were forever on the FBI trouble-maker list. It was courageous of Hemingway to make a collaborator like Robert Jordan his hero.

Buddhist Touches
Robert Jordan is no monk, but he does live by some prime Buddhist principles. He goes on for some length about living in the now- there may be no tomorrow. Just before his death, he explains to the Maria that wherever she goes, so will he be there. A mystical touch that cannot heal their parting.

And So
Read this novel to be transported to a time and place beyond the memory of all but the very old. Human nature is displayed in the extreme- both base and uplifting. It is one of the last great war novels that told its story without a blink.
Hemingway's appeal is not very complicated. Growing up I knew some outdoorsmen and war heros, but they tended to be illiterate or mute. I knew some good writers, but they tended to be bookish dweebs. Ern could negotiate both camps, and he was the first writer to seize my attention. I think he'll be charming readers for a long time.