The Opposition…

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

Discussion: 2014-Jan-Feb-Mar

Why we're reading this: announced January 16, 2014, as next cOlbert's Book Club read (for January 21, 2014)…more
[close] announced January 16, 2014, as next cOlbert's Book Club read (for January 21, 2014)

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2014-Jan-Feb-Mar

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* March 2014
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 21 views

last updated Apr 02, 2014 01:05PM

* February 2014
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 24 views

last updated Mar 01, 2014 02:27PM

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Oct 17, 2022 Tiffany rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I know Hemingway is supposedly one of the Great American Novelists, and people talk about "Oh, his use of language! How he can say SO MUCH with SO FEW words!" and this is supposed to be THE GREAT NOVEL about WWI, but... meh.

I think watching Ken Burns' Hemingway colors this book for me. Not ruins or taints it, because I don't think I would have liked it anyway, but it helps explain why Lt. Henry/Hemingway views Catherine the way he does. I didn't much like Hemingway as a writer before I watched I know Hemingway is supposedly one of the Great American Novelists, and people talk about "Oh, his use of language! How he can say SO MUCH with SO FEW words!" and this is supposed to be THE GREAT NOVEL about WWI, but... meh.

I think watching Ken Burns' Hemingway colors this book for me. Not ruins or taints it, because I don't think I would have liked it anyway, but it helps explain why Lt. Henry/Hemingway views Catherine the way he does. I didn't much like Hemingway as a writer before I watched the documentary, and now I don't like him as a person since I watched the series, and since I now know that most of his writing is at least somewhat autobiographical (or at least what he claims happened) and the way he treated people, especially women, in his real life was despicable... yech.

... Page 146, and I'm wondering why I'm still reading this if it means nothing to me. The back cover says that the German attack at Caporetto scene is "one of the greatest moments in literary history," so I feel like I should at least keep reading to there. But maybe skim to there? Days 1 & 2 of reading this went quickly, despite not liking it/Hemingway, but by now (day 4), I'm just bored with it.

... But I kept reading, didn't skim. Now I'm done. I'm giving this 2 stars. I felt like most of it deserved 1 star, but there were some better moments, so I'll be generous and give it 2 stars. The early scenes with Catherine still annoy me, but some of the later ones are okay; but the scene with Catherine and nurse Ferguson is annoying, as are a few other scenes with dialogue between Henry and Catherine; strangely, I think the war scenes and the scenes with Henry's military companions are the best parts of the book (I'm not a fan of war stories, so that's telling); the last few pages shocked me; and there were a couple of bits of Henry's thinking about Catherine toward the end that were sweet or nice, rather than Hemingway's stupidity and misogyny. Overall, though, this didn't do it for me and I wish I hadn't wasted the last few days on it. ...more

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Aug 14, 2008 Thomas rated it liked it · review of another edition

When I began to read this book i wasn't sure what to expect. As i got further into it, it took a lot of comprehension to fully understand what Hemingway was trying to say. Amidst my confusion, and the unfamiliar style of the book, I read on. But what i still don't understand is the untimely ending in the midst of big events. Why does it just end so suddenly? I think the underlying message is that you must have the strength and will to carry on... even when there seems to be nothing left to hope ...more

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Jun 13, 2007 Jack rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fictionliterature

Holy crap was that depressing! Someone must have pissed in young Ernie's corn flakes quite often.
Everyone gets that life can suck, but wow!
Interesting story on the monotony of war. The romance between Tenente and Cat were cute. And then blam! Ugh. ...more

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