HEMINGWAY, Ernest. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Orig. cloth in dust jacket. New York: Scribner's, 1940. 8vo. First edition. While this is one of the more common Hemingway novels, published in a large first printing, the prices for this title have risen dramatically in recent years. A fine copy in very good first issue dust jacket with minor chipping to head and foot of spine and corners.

Synopsis

Many consider For Whom the Bell Tolls to be author Ernest Hemingway’s finest work. Inspired by Hemingway’s time as a war correspondent for The North American Newspaper Alliance during the Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls is a stark and brutal commentary on the nature of war, sacrifice, and death. In fact, many believe his work is among the best depictions of the Spanish Civil War written. As with some of Hemingway’s other work, many of the characters, experiences, and events were based off real people and battles Hemingway saw. One of the most interesting qualities of For Whom the Bell Tolls is the use and restraint of profanity. Even though Hemingway had already written much about war and tribulations and had never seemed inclined to limit the use of vulgar language, For Whom the Bell Tolls is a clear exemption. When writing dialogue, Hemingway would insert the word “obscenity” instead of writing the exact word or phrase. There has been a lot of discussion about the reason for such omissions, and while some believe Hemingway was worried about the book being banned and thus wanted to make the book as reader-friendly as possible for a brutally violent war novel, others believe the omissions of profanity was due to transliteration problems and the author’s attempt to be as honest to the dialogue he heard as possible. There is no arguing with the legacy and influence Hemingway had not only on American culture, but also on generations of future writers. The Beatnik generation referred to Hemingway as “Papa” with a quite reverence, and Hemingway inspired countless journalists with his in-depth profiles and wartime articles. Even the cities where he wrote his books are now places for pilgrimage among his most devoted fans. Hemingway first started writing For Whom the Bell Tolls in Cuba and later finished it in Sun Valley, Idaho. In fact, both hotel rooms are now popular tourist destinations.

Reviews

On May 25 2023, Apeadero said:

Excellent book depicting an important moment of Spanish history.

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Details

Bookseller: George S. MacManus Company (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 52712
Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Author: HEMINGWAY, Ernest
Book Condition: Used
Quantity Available: 1
Keywords: C/H, LITX

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George S. MacManus Company

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George S. MacManus Company

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About George S. MacManus Company

Our inventory of over 45,000 catalogued titles focuses primarily on 18th and 19th century Americana with specialities such as Voyages and Travels, Local Histories, Indians and the West and the Civil War. Also included in our collection are English and American literary first editions, Limited Edition Club selections and Books about Books.

Glossary

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

New: A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
Jacket: Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Fine: A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
Cloth: "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Chipping: A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...