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Men Without Women
by Ernest Hemingway
A simple, yet intriguing, collection of vignettes.
‘Men Without Women’ is a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway first published in 1927. Even if you aren't a fan of Hemingway's longer works, you're sure to enjoy these pared down, gritty (and sometimes humorous) glimpses of life.
There are fourteen stories set in Italy, Spain and America before, during and shortly after World War I. They each explore the complexities of war and relationships, and the delicate balance of life and death. It is hard for me to pick just one as a favorite, and I have read a few of them several times over, but here are four I enjoyed most.
"The Killers" is a captivating thriller about hitmen looking for a prize-fighter who went back on his word. The story introduces Nick Adams, who would show up again in some of Hemingway's later stories. "The Killers" was made into a movie, which I thought was okay, but which lacked the intensity of the story.
"Fifty Grand" is a fascinating study of a boxer in training for the toughest fight of his life, in the ring and in his soul. I especially enjoyed the surprising twist at the end.
In "An Alpine Idyll" Hemingway relates a dark, yet humorous, yarn about a peasant in the Swiss Alps who buries his wife.
But if I were to pick a favorite in this collection, I would elect "The Undefeated." The author does a masterful job portraying the drama and tragedy of bullfighting, the frailty of life, and the value of true friendship. The description of the final phase of the bullfight is based on the true story of the matador Maera, who also died in the plaza de toros and is honored in this collection in "Banal Story."
The best part of ‘Men Without Women’ is the simplicity of the writing about complicated subjects. We live, we love, we die. Sometimes we have to make choices, and we -- like the characters in the stories -- just hope for the best to come out of it.
Title: Men Without Women
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Publisher: Scribner
ISBN: 0684825864
Review written by: John Neal
Reviewer's Rating:9.5
Reader's Rating: 7.00
Reader's Votes: 1
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