Published in 1940, Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls is widely considered his greatest mature achievement and a masterpiece of 20th-century war literature. Drawing heavily on Hemingway's own experiences as a reporter during the Spanish Civil War, the novel follows Robert Jordan, an American dynamiter embedded with a guerrilla band behind fascist lines. Tasked with destroying a strategic bridge, Jordan finds himself entangled in a profound romance with a young woman named Maria and the complex internal politics of the resistance. The narrative is a searing meditation on death, ideological disillusionment, and the interconnectedness of humanity—a theme immortalized by the John Donne poem from which the book takes its title.
Edition: First Edition, First Printing (1940).
Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
Binding: Original beige cloth with red and black stamping. The book is in Good condition, exhibiting firm structural integrity despite minor fading and staining to the boards.
Condition Points: The corners show typical bumping, and this copy is offered without the original dust jacket. Internally, the pages are clean and well-preserved.
Provenance: Includes pencil markings on the front endpaper from a previous owner. It retains the essential Scribner "A" on the copyright page, confirming its status as a first state of the first edition.
For Whom the Bell Tolls remains one of the most sought-after Hemingway "high-spots" for collectors. While a jacketed copy in fine condition commands a significant premium, this unjacketed first printing offers a rare opportunity to own a true first state of this landmark novel at an accessible price point. Because the binding remains tight and the internal text is free of foxing, it is an ideal specimen for a collector prioritizing the authentic 1940 printing over exterior perfection. It is a "workhorse" first edition that presents the rugged, utilitarian aesthetic Hemingway himself championed.
Published in 1940, Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls is widely considered his greatest mature achievement and a masterpiece of 20th-century war literature. Drawing heavily on Hemingway's own experiences as a reporter during the Spanish Civil War, the novel follows Robert Jordan, an American dynamiter embedded with a guerrilla band behind fascist lines. Tasked with destroying a strategic bridge, Jordan finds himself entangled in a profound romance with a young woman named Maria and the complex internal politics of the resistance. The narrative is a searing meditation on death, ideological disillusionment, and the interconnectedness of humanity—a theme immortalized by the John Donne poem from which the book takes its title.
Edition: First Edition, First Printing (1940).
Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
Binding: Original beige cloth with red and black stamping. The book is in Good condition, exhibiting firm structural integrity despite minor fading and staining to the boards.
Condition Points: The corners show typical bumping, and this copy is offered without the original dust jacket. Internally, the pages are clean and well-preserved.
Provenance: Includes pencil markings on the front endpaper from a previous owner. It retains the essential Scribner "A" on the copyright page, confirming its status as a first state of the first edition.
For Whom the Bell Tolls remains one of the most sought-after Hemingway "high-spots" for collectors. While a jacketed copy in fine condition commands a significant premium, this unjacketed first printing offers a rare opportunity to own a true first state of this landmark novel at an accessible price point. Because the binding remains tight and the internal text is free of foxing, it is an ideal specimen for a collector prioritizing the authentic 1940 printing over exterior perfection. It is a "workhorse" first edition that presents the rugged, utilitarian aesthetic Hemingway himself championed.
