Rating: 
Summary: A book for all people and all ages
Review: Usually, even with the best books, I would say that "this book is not for everyone." Not so with this novel. I truly believe that this book IS for everyone. Unlike so much other 20th century literature, one need not be well read to get something out of it. The story is of two of man's most cherished and hated traditions: Love and War. The tragedy is that we have had so much of the latter and so little of the former. We see much of both in "For Whom The Bell Tolls." It is a tender story of two young people who just want to live a "normal" life together during the Spainish civil war, but who are prevented from doing thus due to their being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is incredulous to me that there were other reviewers who found this book "boring." I can only surmise that anyone who would find a novel such as this boring will not find anything "exciting" unless it has Arnold Scharzenegger swinging around a machine gun. But that, I believe, is the fault of the reader's lack of attention span and cannot be blamed on Hemingway. The author writes that "The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it." I would agree. Anyone else who agrees, and anyone who has a passion and zest for life should read this book. One of the best examples of American literature in the 20th century.
Rating: 
Summary: Hypnotic!
Review: Slowly slowly, little by little, the tensions between the characters of this novel build to reveal the incredible and hopeless predicament they find themselves in. I can empathise with those who do not like Hemingway, he is an acquired taste. But push on with this novel. It is far FAR better than the endlessly dull Farewell To Arms, the scene where the old woman recalls the way the Fascists were executed by the peasants is just electrifying, and haunts me to this day. Of all Hemingway books I've read, this is my favourite.
Rating:
Summary: A truly wonderful book
Review: This is one of Hemmingway's best. It is about war, love, and the endless fight for the opportunity to be human. It has a heartwarming love story that is beautiful without degenerating into a sappy Danielle Steele novel. Perhaps the main thrust of the book can be summed up in one of is most famous lines: "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for and I hate very much to leave it." For those who grow weary of 20th century novels that are driven by stream-of-consciousness and herky-jerky narrative, they will find Hemmingway's straightforward, lucid yet eloquent prose quite refreshing. This is a very well done book for the ages.
Rating:
Summary: He has done much better
Review: This was an okay book. It ebbs and flows. There are great scenes (the massacre, Sordo's end, and the final battle) and there are whole sections where the book just grinds down into mundane language and repetition. However, the great scenes were unbelievably hypnotic and intense, I thought. I also liked the ending, which I thought was heartbreaking and left me feeling lonely and aching. I preferred "A Farewell to Arms".
Rating:
Summary: The Most Beautiful Book Ever Written
Review: For Whom the Bells Tolls is quite possibly one of the most beautiful books ever written. After reading Clancy and Grisham for a while, I decided to move on to a classic. This perfectly quenched my desire. This is the tale of an American who fights in the Spanish Civil War. Love and War are both perfectly captured in this book. I have never read such a "smart" book that looks into one of the character's mind. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Motivations and consequences of war
Review: In the most obvious sense, this book did a fine job of outlining a historical situation that, until I read this, was unknown to me. On a broader level, it was a compelling characterization of both the horrors and romance of war. It also blatantly reveals the heavy toll that responsibility and power have on an individual. This is a classic because Hemingway was able to enthrall the reader with intense detail.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This book is definitely one of the best classics I have ever read. The imagery, setting, action, and overall milieu was clear and well-written. Hemingway accurated describes the transition of a man in face of death and war. Torn between his obligation to the cause and his love of Maria, Jordan becomes increasing concerned with dying for the individual. The novel creatively portrays the psychological states of many of the people involved in war. I really recommend that you read this.
Rating:
Summary: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Review: I really thought this was a pretty good book. Its full of a lot of action dealing with war and it describes the different emotions and feelings people thought while fighting in the war. Reading this book made me think a lot about war and it got me to think if I ever had to go to war, and what it would be like. This book was a little hard to understand at first, but once I started reading more into it, I could never put it down. So anyone you want's to read about being in a war should deffinetly read this book, it could change your mind.
Rating:
Summary: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Review: For Whom The Bell Tolls is a epic war novel written by Ernest Himingway that profiles the young American, Robert Jordan, and his 72 days with a anti-fascist guerrilla unit in the mountains of Spain. Himingway also describes El Sordo's last stand very well. Robert is fighting for his beliefs against the fascist. In the mountains, he meets up with other anti-fascist. Pablo, his wife Pilar, and the young, beautiful Maria. Robert soon falls in love with Maria. Robert is there to blow up a bridge, and within the 72 days, he visits the bridge making sketches and planning out the explosion. He and Pablo do not get along to good and Pablo throws Robert's detonator in the river and Robert gets real angry with Pablo. Pablo is a lazy man that stays drunk off of wine through out the story. Robert thinks many times of killing him. After careful planning, he successfully blows up the bridge. On the way back to camp, he has a tragic accident and his severely wounded. Maria, and everyone else escapes. Robert moves around to get behind a tree with his submachine gun waiting to face the fascist army all alone in the deep mountains of Spain.
Rating:
Summary: The best
Review: This book has had more of an effect on me than any other I have ever read. It is deep in imagery and in meaning. If anyone is to ever read a book, this is the one. But be careful ,young children, the ideas presented may be too difficult for you to grasp. Recommended for experienced humans! You'll go nuts at the end!
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