A classic indeed. Lovely to listen to, and an epic story that leaves you feeling like you have lived the book. I loved it. Will listen to it again soon.

a timeless story enjoyable for every generation

I wish Campbell Scott would read more Hemmingway, he is the perfect fit.

I have found Hemmingway to be rather dark and depressing. While not giving away the ending, this one is not far afield. But the richness of the story makes up for it. I was also impressed with the richness of the Spanish language here, and the reader enhanced the affect. Hemmingway did a great job of getting into the individual's heads. Excellent experience.

Someone who has not had exposure to international accents and cultures.

I couldn't finish it to say.

1. Saul Reichlin2. Christopher Lane3. me

None. Masterpiece.

The only reason I can believe it was Simon & Schuster audio that produced it is that it was done in 2006, before audiobooks really took off due to smartphones. True performers are now hired, not hacks. Mr. Scott may be a talented man, but he is not a talented reader in this particular instance. His accents are truly atrocious. A Russian sounds like a Spaniard who sounds like a first generation immigrant from Jersey. Thank the Lord that Mr. Hemingway is dead and didn't have to listen to this butchery or the bells may have tolled for Mr. Scott, who is probably a very nice man.

I was very surpirsed that this book seems to be considered the ultimate achievement for Hemingway by the "experts." His digressions into a character's background did not further develop each character for me, it was just another delay in getting to the conclusion. The main story here is very simple and straightforward with no surprises. It appeared to me that he took a high quality short story and stretched it into a novel and in the process converted a possibly shorter, great book into a longer, good one. I think I'm done with Hemingway, Farewell to Arms was much better than this one because the underlying story was deeper.

Plot and character development done with spice and heart; bringing reality in to the home via sound.

The portrayal of human emotions and how complex relationships can be for people who are in situations, which require thinking, not just action.

All were good; no favorite

I felt the ending was lacking in some way but "they" don't all end with the white-hats getting the girls and living happily everafter.

Glad I read it and my feelings about the idiocy of war are more solid than ever.

I would definitely recommend this audiobook to a friend! This book is so easy to get lost in! Campbell Scott's voice is soothing as Robert Jordan. He is comical as the gypsy. There is not a whole lot of story (the book takes place over the course of 3 days), but what story there is, is rich.

For Whom the Bell Tolls is a typical classic and tragic tale. Because of the timeline, maybe I would compare it to All My Sons by Arthur Miller. As for the rest of the story--it is familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on a definite comparison.

I have not listened to any other Campbell Scott narrations, but I would like to.

There were many moments that moved me, but the very end of the book moved me the most. It was all the notes and tidbits on life and death and duty and what makes a good life.

I wanted to listen to this book again from the beginning the instant it ended. I LOVED it!

Hemingway uses special "literary techniques" in "For whom the Bell Tolls" that rather than enhancing the reading experience detract from it. Please see the list below. The ending is totally soppy. You learn nothing about the Spanish Civil War, and a better explanation for why Robert Jordan decided to fight with the Republicans should have been given. The scenes depicting physical attraction were bland and insipid. Some dislike the macho behavior of Hemingway's characters, but this doesn't bother me. I see it as typical of the times, and Pilar is the best character of this novel. She is a strong, intelligent, no-nonsense woman! What remains undeniably true though is that Hemingway can draw a scene so you see, hear, smell and feel it in your pores. It is interesting to see what goes through a soldier's mind, but there is so much wrong with this book I cannot justify a better rating.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Scott Campbell's narration, except that a few bomb blasts fell flat. Even a good narrator cannot save a bad book.

May I suggest A Farewell to Arms instead?!


************************

Through chapter 7:
This is what is bugging me:
1. The dialogs are NOT in the least believable. None of them.
2. Swear words are replaced with "unprintable word" or "obscenity". This is ridiculous and disrupts the prose! "F*/k you" will be written, "obscenity you", for example. Crazy! Hemingway wrote the book this way; it has not been censored later.
3. In the 30s people did not speak with the terms "thy", "thee", "thou art". This is driving me nuts. WHY has Hemingway done this?
(Answer: In Spanish there are different forms of pronouns that show the relationship between the people talking. Since the characters were speaking in Spanish, Hemingway wished to provide this information even in English.)
4. Robert Jordan is holier than "thou" (:0)), and it drives me crazy. SUCH a perfect soldier with SUCH motivation, and he is SO devoted to his job.
5. To top it all off the love between Maria and Robert Jordan jumps out of nowhere. The same day they meet they are in bed, no, actually a sleeping bag, and then she says in one of those above mentioned dialogs that she doesn't know how to kiss. Jeez! (OK, if one is a little patient an explanation is given.)
6. And what is this with calling Robert Jordan Robert Jordan?. Everyone else goes by one name, usually a nickname!

Yes: The storyline and character development is classic Hemingway, truly ageless. It easily transports one back to four tragic days in the mountains during the Spanish Civil War. Recounted through the great channel of one of America's best-ever authors, the tale becomes almost telepathic in its raw power. I found no point at which the story bogged down. Though many of us have read this long ago, to hear the book again in such fine narration was pure pleasure.

The pinnacle of plot resolution at the very end.

Some of the interpersonal omteraction scenes between the main characters, especially the carefree "Gypsy".

Definitely

I'll start listening to everything in Audible's offerings concerning Hemingway's epic works. It was hard not to give this one carte blanche five stars all the way across, so I docked one star from the Story section only because the plot was a bit oddly resolved in a certain manner which I won't reveal here in order to keep the element of surprise fresh for others.