Ernest Hemingway's depiction of war in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is one without clear ideological or moral imperatives. The story wrestles with themes of wartime and violence, as readers follow Robert Jordan, an American teacher, who volunteers to lead an ill-disciplined band of guerrillas during the Spanish Civil War. This illuminating volume explores themes surrounding war as they relate to Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. A series of essays focus on topics such as the distinction between a war novel and a propaganda novel about war, the war against civilians in Spain, and civil wars being waged in the Middle East today.

In Ernest Hemingway's literary masterpieces, 'A Farewell to Arms' and 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' he beautifully captures the essence of human struggle and the harsh realities of war. Hemingway's succinct and understated prose style, known for its simple yet profound language, perfectly reflects the dark themes of loss, love, and the futility of war. Set against the backdrop of World War I and the Spanish Civil War, these novels provide a compelling insight into the human psyche during times of turmoil and chaos. Hemingway's ability to delve deep into the emotional turmoil of his characters makes these works not only powerful novels but also timeless classics of literature. With themes of love, sacrifice, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world, 'A Farewell to Arms' and 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' showcase Hemingway's unparalleled talent for storytelling. Readers who appreciate thought-provoking and emotionally gripping narratives will find these books to be essential reads in the canon of modern literature.

Ernest Hemingway's masterpiece on war, love, loyalty, and honor tells the story of Robert Jordan, an antifascist American fighting in the Spanish Civil War. In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from “the good fight” and one of the foremost classics of war literature. For Whom the Bell Tolls tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades, is attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain. In his portrayal of Jordan’s love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of a guerilla leader’s last stand, Hemingway creates a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving, and wise. Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author’s previous works, For Whom the Bell Tolls stands as one of the best war novels ever written.

Martin Bell OBE has been many things – an icon of BBC war reporting, Britain's first independent MP for 50 years, a UNICEF ambassador, and 'the man in the white suit' – a tireless campaigner for honesty and accountability in politics. But as For Whom the Bell Tolls reveals, he's also a poet of light verse, and here Bell's poems continue his war by other means on duplicitous politicians, our all-consuming media, the venality of celebrity culture and much more. Bell presents poems on Tony Blair and Iraq, on Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, on his hero, Reuters reporter Kurt Schork, and colourful episodes from his work and life, from being starstruck by Angelina Jolie, to a mordant epitaph on Margaret Thatcher, to his being a guest at Idi Amin's wedding: '... that by God / Was well worth doing, if distinctly odd.'

America is on flight from the Middle East and unlike in past engagements like the Vietnam War, the exit route is too narrow and perhaps closed.

Inky’s back in his latest enthralling whodunit! Blinkton-on-Sea is gripped by the fiercest winter in its history. But the weather is not the town’s most pressing problem. When a battered Citroën slides through its backstreets late one night, a sequence of events begins to unfold which culminates in a sinister battle of good versus evil. When a mystery figure sabotages a crucial Maths exam by setting off Blinkton School’s fire alarm, a desperate hunt is on to find the culprit. Inky Stevens, rising to the challenge, finds himself drawn into a mystery which extends far beyond the school-gates. Blinkton, he discovers, is harbouring a deadly secret, one which will bring the Great School Detective face to face with his most deadly adversary. His latest mission threatens not only to destroy Inky, but also the very existence of the isolated seaside town. Praise for ‘Inky Stevens the Case of the Caretaker’s Keys’ Cleverly Crafted. The story is set against a background that all teenage readers will identify with. It’s well paced and contains enough red herrings to keep the reader desperate to turn the page. Geoffrey M. Step aside J.K.Rowling. A brilliant read with clever plot twists throughout and appealing and engaging characters. This tale of mystery and subterfuge keeps the reader guessing right up to its explosive end. A ‘must-read’ for mystery fans of all ages! Seventynil. Brilliant Read. Brought loads of memories flooding back. You can tell the writer really understands what makes school kids and their teachers tick. A brilliant mystery that twists and turns right up to its conclusion. Can’t wait for the next one! Elaine D.

In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from “the good fight,” For Whom the Bell Tolls. The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo's last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving, and wise. “If the function of a writer is to reveal reality,” Maxwell Perkins wrote to Hemingway after reading the manuscript, “no one ever so completely performed it.” Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author's previous works, it stands as one of the best war novels of all time.