A Farewell To Arms

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As a youth of 18, Ernest Hemingway was eager to fight in the Great War. Poor vision kept him out of the army, so he joined the ambulance corps instead and was sent to France. Then he transferred to Italy where he became the first American wounded in that country during World War I. Hemingway came out of the European battlefields with a medal for valor and a wealth of experience that he would, 10 years later, spin into literary gold with A Farewell to Arms. This is the story of Lieutenant Henry, an American, and Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. The two meet in Italy, and almost immediately Hemingway sets up the central tension of the novel: the tenuous nature of love in a time of war. During their first encounter, Catherine tells Henry about her fiancé of eight years who had been killed the year before in the Somme. Explaining why she hadn't married him, she says she was afraid marriage would be bad for him, then admits:

I wanted to do something for him. You see, I didn't care about the other thing and he could have had it all. He could have had anything he wanted if I would have known. I would have married him or anything. I know all about it now. But then he wanted to go to war and I didn't know.

The two begin an affair, with Henry quite convinced that he "did not love Catherine Barkley nor had any idea of loving her. This was a game, like bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards." Soon enough, however, the game turns serious for both of them and ultimately Henry ends up deserting to be with Catherine.

Hemingway was not known for either unbridled optimism or happy endings, and A Farewell to Arms, like his other novels (For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises, and To Have and Have Not), offers neither. What it does provide is an unblinking portrayal of men and women behaving with grace under pressure, both physical and psychological, and somehow finding the courage to go on in the face of certain loss. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Hemingway's frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in the inexorable sweep of war, glows with an intensity unrivaled in modern literature, while his description of the German attack on Caporetto -- of lines of fired men marching in the rain, hungry, weary, and demoralized -- is one of the greatest moments in literary history. A story of love and pain, of loyalty and desertion, A Farewell to Arms, written when he was 30 years old, represents a new romanticism for Hemingway.

Customer Reviews:

A Soap Opera.......2007-09-23

I re-read this recently. I don't know why. I guess a friend of mind is into Hemingway. Here's what I found: this seminal work of the American 20th century fiction reads like a chick flick or soap opera, especially the rather embarrasingly overwrought last chapter.

A classic!.......2007-08-27

I read this book in high school and I fell in love. This book has it all: adventure, love, and a incredibly tragic ending. This is the type of book that should be required reading in schools!

Brilliant.......2007-08-13

At first I was not a fan of Hemmingway's writing style but the story overpowered whatever problems I had. Wonderful depictions of war and love. Emotional when you least expect it. An amazing journey. Must Read Classic.

"I thought she might be a little crazy".......2007-07-26

The only justification for WWI, if there is one, is that it serves as a great backdrop for this marvelous novel, the story of wounded ambulance driver Frederick Henry and his nurse -lover Catherine Barkley as they try to survive that ignoble war (which began with dancing in the streets of Vienna and ended in the pointless slaughter of millions. Remember?). Early in the book, Frederick says of Catherine, "I thought she might be a little crazy." Well, Yeah! Is it any wonder considering she has treated about a thousand casualties with injuries ranging from self-inflicted foot wounds to splintered limbs and assorted other dripping war wounds? Together they make the only sane decision they can make under the circumstances: they escape to neutral Switzerland where they manage to make a life for themselves, away from the war--but never really free from its underlying curse. Out of a time when kings and keisers (not renegade vice presidents) made war, Hemingway, the master of macho angst, creates the premier anti-war novel. If only Bush had been reading it to the kids in Sarasota the morning of 911 instead of the lamb book, what a different world it might be today...

Classic.......2007-06-27

A Farewell to Arms is considered a "classic" of American literature. And rightly so. This novel is an excellent portrayal of the horrors of war (World War I in particular), in which the main protagonist, Frederic Henry, becomes involved in an ambiguously "loving" relationship with an English nurse named Catherine Barkley. Not to spoil any important plot elements, let's just say that their relationship ends...weirdly (and, in a sense, disturbingly) and leaves the reader feeling a million feelings at once (sadness, confusion, contemplativeness, reflectiveness, etc.).

Again, Hemingway pulls the reader in with his minimalist approach and his understatement (sometimes, incredibly "under"). The book's plot basically involves Henry's time spent on the Italian front that is being challenged, at the beginning of the book, by the Austrians, and by the end of the book, by the Germans. Henry experiences every nuance of war: from intense hunger and starvation, to the anxiety of escaping death, to the death of a comrade, to injury to himself.

Overall, the book as a war novel is excellent, as a love story: excellent, and as a classic in American literature: legendary.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Hemingway audio book
Attesting to this enjoyable reading by Slattery

A Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0743564375

Book Description

Hemingway's classic novel of the First World War

Ernest Hemingway did more to change the style of English prose than any other writer in the twentieth century, and for his efforts he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954. Hemingway wrote in short, declarative sentences and was known for his tough, terse prose. Publication of The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms immediately established Ernest Hemingway as one of the greatest literary lights of the twentieth century. As part of the expatriate community in 1920s Paris, the former journalist and World War I ambulance driver began a career that lead to international fame. Hemingway was an aficionado of bullfighting and big-game hunting, and his main protagonists were always men and women of courage and conviction, who suffered unseen scars, both physical and emotional. He covered the Spanish Civil War, portraying it in fiction in his brilliant novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, and he subsequently covered World War II. His classic novella The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. He died in 1961.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Hemingway audio book.......2007-09-13

I received the audio CD, "A Farewell to Arms," promptly and in perfect condition. Although I had read the book within the past few years, the audio version was almost a new experience -- as much theater as novel.

I strongly recommend this Simon and Schuster production. Quality of sound, nuances of the reader -- performer, really -- made for delightful listening while relaxing on airplane and beach.

Larry C

Attesting to this enjoyable reading by Slattery.......2007-01-21

I disagree strongly with the "official" review of Slattery's reading/performance of this great and very important novel. Slattery does both Scottish and Italian accents just fine; what's more, he adopts the casual and bantering tone that is so key to understanding the nuances of the relationships in this story, including the narrator's voice.
Having ordered this CD in spite of the review included on Amazon's page, I felt it was important, as a college teaching professional and as someone who studied acting and directing, to include a review that emphasized what a high quality this recording is. The accents will NOT annoy you! And if you are a student studying this book, it will help you immensely to hear it read.

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A Farewell to Arms

Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000GI4VO2

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Cliffs Notes helpful but does not replace reading the book
A classic, but....

A Farewell to Arms (Cliffs Notes)
Adam Sexton
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764586599

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into key elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the familiar format.

CliffsNotes on Farewell to Arms explores a potent and memorable love story set against the historical and geographical background of World War I.

Following the growth of a rakish, indifferent soldier into a mature man capable of real love for the worldly-wise nurse who falls for him, this study guide provides summaries and critical commentaries for each chapter within the intense and descriptive novel. Other features that help you figure out this important work include

Personal background on author Ernest Hemingway, including honors and awards
Introduction to and synopsis of the books
Character analyses of primary figures Frederick Henry and Catherine Barkley
Critical essays on weather symbolism and Hemingway’s influence
Review section that features fill-in-the-blank questions, quoted passages, and suggested essay topics and practice projects
Resource Center with books, articles, video and audio recordings, and Web sites that can help round out your knowledge

Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

Cliffs Notes helpful but does not replace reading the book.......2007-02-07

Quick and short synopsis to the book's story. Read the book first and get a friend who has read it or someone with a good argumentative view to bounce the ideas in Cliffs Notes with you.

A classic, but...........2000-04-10

I know this book is a classic, but I did not enjoy it. Though I liked Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, Farewell to Arms seemed rather boring. It gives a realistic and fairly hopeless view of war, revealing of Hemingway's own experiences. The soldier and the nurse's love affair is also autobiographical, but somehow has an unrealistic quality. Maybe I just don't like the nurse's characther, disregarding her own identity. The action is pretty slow and though the ending is foreshadowed, it felt more like a chopping off of a story than a closing. Overall, some interesting themes and classic messages about human nature, but a slow and terse writing style.

A Farewell to Arms (1929, First Edition)

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A Farewell to Arms (1929, First Edition)

Manufacturer: Charles Scribners' Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000GPKN9W

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Spark Notes A Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway , and SparkNotes Editors
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1586634208

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Get your "A" in gear!

They're today's most popular study guides-with everything you need to succeed in school. Written by Harvard students for students, since its inception SparkNotes™ has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. SparkNotes'™ motto is Smarter, Better, Faster because:

· They feature the most current ideas and themes, written by experts.
· They're easier to understand, because the same people who use them have also written them.
· The clear writing style and edited content enables students to read through the material quickly, saving valuable time.

And with everything covered--context; plot overview; character lists; themes, motifs, and symbols; summary and analysis, key facts; study questions and essay topics; and reviews and resources--you don't have to go anywhere else!

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A Farewell to Arms

Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

To Kill a Mockingbird

ASIN: B000E0P56K

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A Classic by one of the greatest novelist of all time.

New Essays on A Farewell to Arms (The American Novel)

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New Essays on A Farewell to Arms (The American Novel)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521387329

Book Description

When first published in 1929, Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms was decried as a vulgar novel, and was actually banned in Boston. In his extensive introduction, Scott Donaldson explains this initial reception, and then traces the change in perception toward the novel. The essays in this collection show that Farewell was a revolutionary novel that has only now begun to be understood - sixty years after publication. Sandra Spanier demonstrates how World War I determined the behaviour patterns of Catherine Barkley; James Phelan examines the first person narration; Ben Stoltzfus studies the novel from psychoanalytical (Lacanian) angles, and Paul Smith traces Hemingway’s repeated attempts to write about the war.

A Farewell to Arms: The War of the Words (Twayne's Masterwork Studies, No. 84)

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A Farewell to Arms: The War of the Words (Twayne's Masterwork Studies, No. 84)
Robert W. Lewis
Manufacturer: Twayne Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway
Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0684717972

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One more Father Tim

Inspirational Read

The prices

Let the Buyer Beware

A Continual Feast

A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim
Jan Karon
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes (Mitford Years)

The Mitford Bedside Companion: A Treasury of Favorite Mitford Moments, Author Reflections on the Bestselling Selling Series, and More. Much More.

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ASIN: 0670033642

Book Description

For years, Mitford's Father Tim Kavanagh has transcribed into his dog-eared journals words of wisdom, faith, and encouragement gleaned from favorite thinkers.

Indeed, A Continual Feast contains lively ideas, common sense, profound wisdom, and plain good humor from the likes of C. S. Lewis, Emily Dickinson, William Blake, Helen Keller, G. K. Chesterton, and Will Rogers. To name but a few.

Want to know a surefire way to read someone's true character?

Check out what Goethe has to say.

Strive to be that rare individual who labors to serve others, and what will you have? “Little competition,” according to Andrew Carnegie.

This entertaining and useful handbook is for all those who relish a good “Aha!,” including authors, clergy, speechmakers, dog lovers, and anyone who enjoys provocative insight into everything from the righteous to the ridiculous.

Together with its companion volume, Patches of Godlight, Father Tim's latest quote journal is sure proof of what Lord Byron once penned:

“A small drop of ink produces that which makes thousands think.”

Download Description

For years, Mitford's Father Tim Kavanagh has transcribed into his dog-eared journals words of wisdom, faith, and encouragement. Written in his own hand or typed on his idiosyncratic Royal typewriter, A Continual Feast contains the lively ideas, common sense, profound wisdom, and plain good humor he has gleaned from the likes of C. S. Lewis, Emily Dickinson, William Blake, Helen Keller, G. K. Chesterton, and Will Rogers, to name just a few. Together with its successful companion volume, Patches of Godlight, Father Tim's latest quote journal is sure proof of the truth of an entry from Lord Byron: "A small drop of ink produces that which makes thousands think."

Customer Reviews:

One more Father Tim.......2007-05-13

Chosen from Wish List, receiver very happy with book...collects all Jan Karon.

Inspirational Read.......2006-11-06

I love anything by Jan Karon. The Mitford Series led me to this book. I have read it 3 times and enjoyed it each time. You should also read Patches of Godlight which contains more of Father Tim's favorites.

The prices.......2006-09-28

for these books are so very high. Love the series and Father Tim, and all the people of Mitford. Love the author , J. Karon. But really.. how about a price break, especially for books like this one. Granted it is great for all the quotes, but this book is not worth all the money it is selling for. And perhaps too like a few of my other favorite authors, print it in softcover. More affordable to the folks who enjoy this series and books by J. Karon. way too over priced.

Let the Buyer Beware.......2006-06-26

Having read and enjoyed all of the Mitford Books, I ordered this one, together with Patches of Godlight. Imagine my surprise when i discovered that instead of being printed in a readable form, both of these books contain mostly "handwritten" writing. They are printed in a barely legible script longhand, complete with misspellings. This may be a cute and clever way to present what are called Father Tim's favorite quotations, but, for me, they were hard to read and a big disappointment. I wish they had been printed rather than presented in this manner.

A Continual Feast.......2006-06-13

Jan, "HOW DO YOU DO IT?" I recently published my first book and am always amazed at the speed and professionalism in the production of your books. Every effort is truly a work of art!
Thank you, Charlene Mikkelsen, author of Wild Flowers Are Forever

A Continual Feast : Words of Comfort And Celebration, Collected by Father Tim

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A Continual Feast : Words of Comfort And Celebration, Collected by Father Tim
Jan (EDT) Karon
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJHFQE

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A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort And Celebration, Collected by Father Tim
Jan Karon
Manufacturer: Viking Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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