A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Publisher: Scribner (2012)

353 pages, eBook (Purchased Myself for $8.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Ratings:

Violence: Mild-Moderate-Brutal

Swearing: Clean-Light-Filthy

Sexual Content: White-Pink-Red

Summary:

Lt. Frederic Henry is an American serving as an ambulance driver in the Italian army during World War I, who falls in love with Catherine, a British nurse, and they have a wartime love affair.

My Thoughts:

It’s probably just because it was also written in the 1920’s about a couple falling in love in Europe, while in service during World War I, but this story reminded me a lot of Simon Called Peter by Robert Keable. The story was interesting, a bit rambling at times, but the ending was really depressing. If you are looking for a happily ever after ending, you won’t find it here; though I think the outcome of Catherine giving Henry the St. Anthony medal foreshadows that clearly enough early on. For the most part the story details military life for an officer overseas during World War I, giving the reader a glimpse into the past. I wasn’t very impressed with Catherine’s determination to bear all the responsibility for the repercussions of their affair—she seemed almost desperate not to cause Henry any trouble with regard to their relationship—it was to be all fun, all the time for him. Henry seemed a decent enough guy and quite likable as a narrator. Did everyone in the 1910’s and 1920’s drink non-stop?

Edition Notes:

This is the only ebook edition available of this book, that I know of. It was organized very nicely and allowed easy maneuverability between sections. This edition contains the author’s 1948 Introduction, a foreword by Patrick Hemingway and an introduction by Sean Hemingway, as well as various appendices containing early drafts, alternate endings and a list of the author’s proposed titles that had been considered for the book. A very nice edition.

Quotes:

“—they did not bombard it to destroy it but only a little in a military way.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“He had always known what I did not know and what, when I learned it, I was always able to forget. But I did not know that then, although I learned it later.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“Evidently it did not matter whether I was there or not.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“The Italian salute never seemed made for export.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“I knew I 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. Like bridge you had to pretend you were playing for money or playing for some stakes. Nobody had mentioned what the stakes were.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“The wine was bad but not dull. It took the enamel off your teeth and left it on the roof of your mouth.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“There is a class that controls a country that is stupid and does not realize anything and never can. That is why we have this war.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“I am afraid of Him in the night sometimes.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“What you tell me about in the nights. That is not love. That is only passion and lust. When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“I have noticed that doctors who fail in the practice of medicine have a tendency to seek one another’s company and aid in consultation.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“He was a legitimate hero who bored every one he met.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“We were all cooked.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“There was a great contrast between his world pessimism and personal cheeriness.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“I never think and yet when I begin to talk I say things I have found out in my mind without thinking.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“The questioners had that beautiful detachment and devotion to stern justice of men dealing in death without being in any danger of it.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“—the things of the night cannot be explained in the day—“-Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“No, that is a great fallacy; the wisdom of old men. They do not grow wise. They grow careful.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“I so want to be a good wife and have this child without any foolishness.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms