1940 novel by Ernest Hemingway about the days leading up to the destruction of a bridge during the Spanish Civil War. American explosives expert Robert Jordan came to Spain to fight Franco and finds himself attached to a small guerrilla group. There, he meets Maria, a fragile young woman whose life was destroyed by the war, and falls in love with her, even though he's certain that he will die when at the bridge.
Hemingway was inspired by his experiences as a journalist reporting on the Spanish Civil War, and the novel was wildly popular and controversial upon its release. It's no surprise that Robert Jordan was heavily based on Robert Merriman, an American volunteer for the Lincoln Brigade.
Although this is considered to be one of Hemingway's more important novels, it seemed, to me, a few steps backwards from The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms. Maria is such a one-note character that she pales in comparison to female leads like Brett, who, while not flattering to women, was at least a complete person. Hemingway also seems to have forgotten his trademark brevity in favor of repeating himself over and over again for no greater effect.