For Whom the Bell Tolls

By: Ernest Hemingway

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1937, Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight", For Whom the Bell Tolls.

The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo's last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving, and wise.

"If the function of a writer is to reveal reality," Maxwell Perkins wrote Hemingway after reading the manuscript, "no one ever so completely performed it." Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author's previous works, it stands as one of the best war novels of all time.

©1952 Ernest Hemingway (P)2006 Simon & Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is the best book Ernest Hemingway has written, the fullest, the deepest, the truest. It will, I think, be one of the major novels in American literature." (The New York Times Book Review)

Classic for a Reason

This novel shows a realistic view of the costs of war, but also includes a very masculine perspective on love and how it can change a man.

An American fighting alongside a band of communist guerrillas

The protagonist Robert Jordan is an American from Montana who, although not a communist, hates fascism enough that he fights alongside a band of communist gorillas. He is tasked with blowing a bridge for an upcoming attack. He also meets a beautiful young girl named Maria that the story revolves around their romance as well as The difficulties with planning the bridge demolition. I don’t know if Hemingway censored the swear words out in his book or if that’s some thing that the audio version dead but don’t let it bother you, you’ll get used to it really quick and it doesn’t sound so awkward

Excellent Naration

Campbell Scott does an excellent job narrating. The story is heavy with dialog and the character voices are done well and he navigates the occasional Spanish nicely.

Now this is a good book

I’ve been running through the “classics” and frankly have been left disappointed more often than I’d like. This was Hemingways last chance for me, after not thinking highly of The Sun Also Rises and The Old Man and The Sea.

Here, he creates connections to the reader. I was genuinely interested in how things would play out. Sure, the title clearly foreshadows things, but even knowing how it will end, the journey is the real joy.

This title should be the go-to Hemingway.

As for the narrator, he did his job and didn’t get in the way of the story. Perfectly satisfied.

Wish they hadn't dubed out the swear words

The book is great and Hemingway's descriptions of the landscape and people make you feel as if you are there, but the dubbing over of the curse words was rediculous. It takes away from the force of what some of the characters are trying to express. Really not needed. Just note that it has explicit language. This is how censorship begins.

A great story read by a great voice.

Mr. Scott's narration of this classic is about the best I have heard.

Can’t wait to read the next book by this author

Excellent work excellent narration great story ending left a little to be desired but great storyline I visited his home once a long time ago had no idea his books were so good

Magnificent

The inter twine of a group of looking to fight for their freedom with a stranger. Whom has his orders when and where to ease into the fight but jump in with his band of rebels whose trials and tribulations. Gave them strength to fight beside him..

Great Narration

Campbell Scott does an excellent job narrating — the best I’ve heard on any audible book. Really enjoyed this classic.

Hemingway remains timeless

If you could sum up For Whom the Bell Tolls in three words, what would they be?

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

What did you like best about this story?

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

Which character – as performed by Campbell Scott – was your favorite?

All were good; no favorite

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

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.

Any additional comments?

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