For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, Robert Jordan, an American teacher fighting for the Republic, is sent behind enemy lines to blow up a bridge. He joins a band of guerrillas in the mountains: Pablo, their leader, who has lost his nerve; Pilar, his fierce wife; and María, a young woman who survived terrible violence. Over three days, Jordan falls in love and waits for the attack.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is on Le Monde's list of the books of the century. It's Hemingway's biggest, most emotional novel.
You'll love it if you liked
Homage to Catalonia
A Moveable Feast
All the Light We Cannot SeeGood to know
The dialogue imitates Spanish in odd, formal English ('thee' and 'thou'). There's a brutal massacre scene and sexual violence in María's past.
By the numbers
- Readers43 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller72 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast
The Old Man and the Sea
The Sun Also Rises
A Farewell to ArmsIf you like this, read next
From Here to Eternity
Middlemarch
Memoirs of Hadrian
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Quick answers
Is For Whom the Bell Tolls worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is on Le Monde's list of the books of the century. It ranks #1,258 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is For Whom the Bell Tolls about?
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, Robert Jordan, an American teacher fighting for the Republic, is sent behind enemy lines to blow up a bridge. He joins a band of guerrillas in the mountains: Pablo, their leader, who has lost his nerve; Pilar, his fierce wife; and María, a young woman who survived terrible violence. Over three days, Jordan falls in love and waits for the attack.
How long does it take to read For Whom the Bell Tolls?
About 12 hours (484 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after For Whom the Bell Tolls?
If you liked it, try Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway or All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.