Men at War

by Ernest Hemingway

Men at War

Genres: History, Military Fiction, War, Nonfiction, Military History, Classics, Collections

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image. Most of Hemingway's works were published between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s, including seven novels, six short-story collections and two non-fiction works. His writings have become classics of American literature; he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, while three of his novels, four short-story collections and three nonfiction works were published posthumously.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.

Reviews

[Mark Mortensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ernest Hemingway was a unique character and it is interesting to note that among all of his accomplishments he was the proud editor of “MEN AT WAR: The Best War Stories of All Time”, a smorgasbord of 82 prominent short historical war stories from around the world from the Biblical days of David and Goliath to Pear Harbor and World War II tales prior to the book publication date of 1942. Included within the book is Stephen Crane’s unabridged “Red Badge of Courage”. The events are not told in chronological order, but rather randomly, as Hemmingway shuffled the deck. Hemingway also penned the introduction and three of the individual war chapters. A few of the other notable authors with a story or more are Julius Caesar, Theodore Roosevelt, William Faulkner, John W. Thomason Jr., Count Leo Tolstoy, Rudyard Kipling and Winston Churchill. It was a true educational experience to be afforded to sample the writing style of so many authors within one volume. The introduction of some authors, whom I was totally unfamiliar with, encouraged me to read more of their works in the future. This book is a great addition to any library shelf.

Through the ages many military officers have carried a book or two with them in the midst of war and I have always been intrigued by the selection of some individuals. I was initially drawn to “Men at War” as WWII USMC Capt. Andrew A. “Ack Ack” Haldane chose to pack this hardcover 2 ½ lb. book with over 1,000 pages on his mission to the South Pacific islands. Author E. B. Sledge mentioned in his book “With the Old Breed” that Haldane, his company CO, who was KIA at Peleliu, had inscribed A. A. Haldane in his copy of “MEN AT WAR”.

A few of the historical stories are a bit dry, some contain a touch of humor and many are priceless leaving lasting impressions. I appreciated the chapter “At All Costs” by Richard Aldington where, under dire conditions, he mentioned a WWI English officer stating: “But no, the N.C.O.’s could be relied on to hold out to the last. They were done for, napoo. No après la guerre for them – bon soir, toodle-oo, good-byeeee.

It’s interesting to note how the chronicles of war have evolved through the ages and if the book was published today, certainly one could also include stories of women into the mix. In some chapters I found myself reading well into the first few pages before I grasped the time period of the particular battle. Although war can at times be an amazing adventure, the culminating death and destruction is a devastating time for all parties directly involved as well as overall society. “MEN AT WAR” will temporarily fill the tank of any military historian to the full capacity, however upon completion one might find them self in need of a brief breather and searching to switch to some lighter genre reading material.

[Jonathan Reahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handpicked collection of the greatest accounts of war throughout history, Ernest Hemingway’s Men At War is unique and unprecedented in its nature. Composed in response to the United States’ entry into World War 2, Hemingway’s idea to gather his favorite war stories from biblical times to the present show young soldiers how men throughout history have fought and died. Such stories hand selected by Hemingway gave these men more insight on the matter of dying in battle and how it was handled by those who came before them. Men At War is a classic of amongst Hemingway’s works and a must read for anyone interested in Hemingway, war or literature itself.
Hemingway’s attention to detail is prevalent within Men At War. His selection of accounts of war accentuates his message to American soldiers: Men before have fought and died and they have fought and died well. You shall do the same; for there are very few alternatives in war.
One aspect I found peculiar of Men At War was Hemingway’s inclusion of stories of his own within the anthology. Being how this work is composed of carefully selected war stories held in high regard by Hemingway, I find his including of pieces that are of his own to be somewhat pompous.
Overall I felt this work deserved five stars for its purpose and successful execution. Hemingway set out to collect the greatest stories of war known to him, and use it as a guide for soldiers setting out on a war of their own. Those ignorant of war can gain insight from those who have experienced it.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest collections of short stories EVER. I often go back and read a story or two in it.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating collection of war stories and excerpts thereof that Hemingway compiled himself in 1941 with the explicit goal of creating a single volume that could help young men, like his sons at the time, prepare to fight in WW2. The stories run the gamut from ancient history (the Greco-Persian wars), through to early WW2 stories written by RAF pilots and Norwegian resistance fighters. Throughout Hemingway seems to have succeeded in finding examples that are as honest as the written word can be about war and the experiences of those who fought them. The only passages I took real issue with were those concerned with the defense of the Alamo and Custer's defeat at Little Bighorn; both are, in my opinion, overly kind to the men who died for the right to own slaves and for the right to expand westward and illegally annex Native American territory. These passages seem to be anomalies however and are somewhat counterbalanced by excellent passages dealing in depth with the battle of Shiloh and John Brown's taking of Harper's Ferry. I am almost universally motivated to seek out other writings by the authors selected by Hemingway and am looking forward to seeing how some selections may read after being put in a broader context.

[Bill Sleeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Men at War: The Best War Stories of all Time was truly comprehensive (at least for 1942). Some stories like The Red Badge of Courage and the haunting An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge were familiar but still great reads. Others, like Who Called you Here, left me wondering why I had never read this before and grateful for the chance now. The only real dead wood seemed, at least to me, were the too heavy reliance on the Napoleonic wars; these read like long (way loooooong) lists of Barons, Dukes, Marshals and tedious failures. Happily, interspersed were the likes of Guy de Maupassant, T.E. Lawrence and Dorothy Parker (Soldiers of the Republic - my favorite!) - reflecting the wise editorial choices of Ernest Hemingway, who knows a bit himself about storytelling.

[Robert Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very useful collection of first hand accounts, many of them well known, including Horatius on the bridge, the Spartans at Thermopylae and T.E. Lawrence blowing up a train. There are other capters, however, which are less well known, including the retreat from Caporetto, which is authored by Hemingway himself.

An excellent addition to my collection, I consider myself lucky to have found a paperback copy of this book in the Salvation Army thrift shop, priced at 25p, the same price it was sold for new back in 1966 [5 shillings then]

[Jitendar Yadav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a panoramic view of Man's battle against man - degrading, uplifting, brutal struggle that we have always known, the historical link from age to age. Here is the only complete literary biography of wat drawn from the stories of Hemmingway loved.

[Wayne Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

the Introduction is worth the price of the book

[Jackie M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected.

[Syd Railla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hemingway put his own story right after a passage from the Bible. Based. 5 stars

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book! It is a collection of 82 War stories put together by Ernest Hemingway published in 1942. The stories range from accounts of ancient Greek and Roman battles up to the Spanish Civil War and the Battle of Britain. Ok I confess I didn't read all 82! Here were my favorites: Who Called You Here? Short story about naive young German boy going to fight in Norway. Gold from Crete a WW2 story by CS Forester. Custer. The story of what actually happened (spoiler: Custer was a racist doofus ) The Victory of the Americans at Saratoga. Told by a British historian. The Italian Debacle at Guadalajara and Hemingway' s story The Chauffeurs of Madrid both about the Spanish Civil War

[J. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It has many different writers and diaries about real war stories. This is a must read for students and those who like history.

http://www.amazon.com/First-Edition-E...

[J. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MEN-AT-WAR-Hi...

[Richard Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great anthology about a horrible thing. H's intro is superb.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

good anthology

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bunch of war stories that were some good some bad - but a slow read