Finished: For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) I'm ashamed to say I never really thought about that line from Donne's poem, and what it means, until I read this Hemingway classic! What a good book. Not exactly my cup of tea...reading about war and all that it entails, but such a good book in that you get to know, achingly well, each character of this story. That always makes me invest more when I grow to care about what happens to the characters! Many say that For Whom The Bell Tolls is Hemingway's greatest work, but I think I still give the slight edge to A Farewell to Arms. This story is about an American, Robert Jordan, who is fighting for the Republic during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's. He's simply a university Spanish teacher who decides to go to Spain to immerse himself in the language and the culture, and his ideals lead him to become a bridge bomber for the fight against the Fascists. The entire story is built around Robert Jordan journeying behind enemy lines to the remote location of the bridge he is supposed to blow up with his wise, invaluable old guide, Anselmo. While up in the hills among the independent guerrillas who are fighting the war their own way, he becomes involved with Pablo's "band" of misfits....among them Pablo's wife, and the true backbone leader of the band, Pilar. Among the misfits are Agustin, Andres, Fernando, and the beautiful, but emotionally damaged Maria. Maria is a young woman who the band rescued from a town attacked by the Fascists. She had watched her family killed before her eyes, and then had her hair cut off, her head shaved, and then survived the repeated rapes by several men before she was rescued. When Robert first lays eyes on her, and she on him, there is an instant connection. Though they only have three days and nights together before the bridge is blown, those days and nights become a lifetime to Robert and he finally realizes what there is to live for with someone to love. The true tragedy of war is on full display as the mountain guerrillas who Robert leaves to be lookouts don't realize the magnitude of all the artillery coming into play. The bridge is to be blown as a surprise attack, but it becomes clear to Robert that the enemy knows about the "surprise" and is ready to turn its own ambush on the fighters for the Republic. Sticking to his orders to blow the bridge, though, Robert and the band perform their duty. Sadly, Anselmo is lost in the explosion, as well as a few others. Pablo, Pilar and Maria make it to safety, out of range of the retaliating tank after the bridge explosion, but Robert's horse is cut down with him on it. Robert's leg is severely broken and he realizes he must stay behind. He forces Maria to go with Pablo and Pilar, declaring that as long as she lives, wherever she goes, he will be with her...that she will be keeping him alive. Then, though going in and out of consciousness, he readies himself to get at least an enemy officer or two as they come up the hill after them, thus giving Maria and the others more time to get away. It is so sad to read the realizations of Robert, and his commanding officers (when the narrative goes over to them), that the entire surprise attack will most likely be for naught and most of the men will be killed. There is such brilliant description in Hemingway's words that you even get to know a minor character who is just as scared and fighting his battle, but on the other side. In all, a very good book. Gosh, I wish I could write like that! I wouldn't be writing about war, but to be able to convey such images and feelings...that would be so nice. :-) Needless to say, this one was yet another book with a sad ending...though we never do see the actual ending of Robert Jordan. The book ends just as Robert has his gun sites on an approaching officer. Sigh.