For Whom the Bell Tolls (First Edition)
by Hemingway, Ernest
- Used
- good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Good/Fine
- Seller
-
Rapid River, Michigan, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1940. First printing w/Scribner's "A" at copyright in original dj w/o photographers credit. Beige, full cloth boards w/author's stamped signature, black spine titles on red field, moderate shelf wear. Deckled pages generally good; no writing. Small stamp at front, back endpapers: 'Civic Lending Libraries". Brown top-stain. Bind good, hinges intact. Original dust wrapper is clipped, backed by thick card stock, with front and back flaps adhered inside covers. This is the extremely rare first state, priced 2.75 jacket without photo credit at back. Entire book and original wrapper are protected in a beautiful facsimile of first state dust jacket which is protected in new clear sleeve. Very attractive. Tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an anti-fascist guerilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As an expert in the use of explosives, he is assigned to blow up a bridge during an attack on the city of Segovia. Told primarily through the thoughts and experiences of Robert Jordan, a character inspired by Hemingway's own experiences in the Spanish Civil War. Robert Jordan is an American who travels to Spain to oppose the fascist forces of Generalísimo Francisco Franco. A superior has ordered him to travel behind enemy lines and destroy a bridge, using the aid of a group of guerrillas who have been living in the mountains nearby. Robert Jordan encounters one of those in their camp, María, a young Spanish native whose life has been shattered by the outbreak of the war. His strong sense of duty clashes with both Republican leader Pablo's unwillingness to commit to a covert operation and his own joie de vivre that is kindled by his newfound love for María. The novel graphically describes the unutterable brutality of civil war. 471 pages. Insured post.. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.
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.
Read More: Identifying first editions of For Whom the Bell Tolls (First Edition)
Reviews
On May 25 2023, Apeadero said:
Excellent book depicting an important moment of Spanish history.
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Details
- Bookseller
- BiblioStax
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 018856
- Title
- For Whom the Bell Tolls (First Edition)
- Author
- Hemingway, Ernest
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Charles Scribner's Sons
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1940
- Size
- 8vo - over 7¾" - 9&f
Terms of Sale
BiblioStax
Satisfaction is guaranteed. Refund will be negotiated and granted for sufficient reason.
About the Seller
BiblioStax
Biblio member since 2005
Rapid River, Michigan
About BiblioStax
We specialize in modern rarities and other hard to find materials. Items are accurately and fully described. Open communication and satisfaction is our goal.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Facsimile
- An exact copy of an original work. In books, it refers to a copy or reproduction, as accurate as possible, of an original...
- 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...
- Flap(s)
- The portion of a book cover or cover jacket that folds into the book from front to back. The flap can contain biographical...
- 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....
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- First State
- used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
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