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For Whom the Bell Tolls | |||||||
 
| 80% Recommended by our customers. Publisher: Scribner Catalog: Book Release date: 1995-07-01 Media: Paperback Number of pages: 480 Ean: 9780684803357 Book Isbn: 0684803356  Tip: compare prices with similar booksAuthor:
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 Written on June 2, 2008 Summary: Lives Up To Its Reputation 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. Written on May 23, 2008 Summary: The Best War Novel 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. Written on May 22, 2008 Summary: A classic in every meaning of the word 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. Written on May 6, 2008 Summary: Deserves to Be Called a Classic 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. Written on April 23, 2008 Summary: This Bell Tolls For Thee 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). |
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| Our price | $10.20 | $10.20 | $10.20 | $9.60 | $14.96 | $9.89 |
| List price | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $12.00 | $22.00 | $14.00 |
| Lowest used price | $4.94 | $1.45 | $8.00 | $0.44 | $10.77 | $3.88 |
| Lowest new price | $5.96 | $3.43 | $8.55 | $2.03 | $11.75 | $6.00 |
| Collectible price | $12.99 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $12.00 | - | $16.50 |
| Catalog | Book | Book | Book | Book | Book | Book |
| Release date | 1995-07-01 | 1995-06-01 | 2006-10-17 | 1995-05-05 | 1998-08-03 | 1999-09-30 |
| Media | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback |
| Number of pages | 480 | 336 | 256 | 128 | 672 | 180 |
| Ean | 9780684803357 | 9780684801469 | 9780743297332 | 9780684801223 | 9780684843322 | 9780743273565 |
| Book Isbn | 0684803356 | 0684801469 | 0743297334 | 0684801221 | 0684843323 | 0743273567 |
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