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It's Never Too Late to Discover Hemingway (A Farewell to Arms, Part 2)

Jul 28, 2025

Guest

Mark Cirino

Mark Cirino, a renowned scholar and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature, dives into Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. He discusses the striking cover design and how it connects to the novel's themes. Cirino shares his late discovery of Hemingway, emphasizing the appeal of his language. He highlights the novel's growing relevance in today's political climate and explores its intricate interplay of war and love. He even suggests a playlist to complement the reading experience, making Hemingway’s work resonate with modern audiences.

33:45

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Episode notes

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ADVICE

Learn WWI Italy Basics First

Get basic historical context on Italy in World War I before or during reading to enrich understanding.
Use maps and simple background notes to place towns, rivers, and military movements mentioned in the novel.

insights

INSIGHT

Slow Syntax Builds Intimacy

Hemingway's stacked prepositional sentence slows time and creates vivid, intimate motion with minimal punctuation.
Cirino compares the rhythm to a handheld camera that literally walks the reader with Frederick Henry.

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ADVICE

Teach Sentence-Level Reading

When teaching, pair A Farewell to Arms with other war novels to compare depictions of soldiers and trauma.
Focus students on individual sentences and paragraphs to reveal Hemingway's craft.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Design Choices for the Norton Library Cover

01:52 • 3min

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Mark Cirino's First Encounters with Hemingway

04:23 • 2min

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Rendering Italian in the Novel

06:46 • 2min

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Historical Context and Reading Challenges

08:48 • 3min

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Memorable Sentences and Narrative Rhythm

11:37 • 4min

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Teaching Strategies for A Farewell to Arms

15:44 • 2min

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Hot Take: The Novel's Growing Relevance

17:19 • 2min

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Adaptations and Recommended Performances

19:08 • 3min

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Why A Farewell to Arms Is Both War and Love Story

21:47 • 2min

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A Playlist for the Novel

24:17 • 2min

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The Role of Rain in Plot and Symbolism

26:12 • 2min

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Meaning of the Phrase 'A Separate Peace'

27:48 • 3min

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Reevaluating Catherine Barkley Today

• Mentioned in 31 episodes

Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms is a semiautobiographical novel that captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its sweep. The story follows Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver on the Italian front, and his passionate relationship with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. The novel interweaves themes of love, war, loyalty, and desertion, reflecting Hemingway's own experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I. The book is known for its vivid and deeply felt portrayal of war and its impact on individuals, as well as Hemingway's distinctive writing style that emphasizes immediacy and simplicity.

#572

• Mentioned in 55 episodes

The sun also rises

Ernest Hemingway

Originally published in 1926, 'The Sun Also Rises' is Ernest Hemingway’s first novel and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style. The novel follows a group of young American and British expatriates as they wander through Europe in the mid-1920s, capturing the moods, feelings, and attitudes of the cynical and disillusioned Lost Generation. The story centers around Jake Barnes, a World War I veteran and journalist, and Lady Brett Ashley, as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain. The novel portrays an age of moral bankruptcy, spiritual dissolution, unrealized love, and vanishing illusions, reflecting the existential disillusionment characteristic of the Lost Generation.

#1366

• Mentioned in 30 episodes

For Whom the Bell Tolls

John Donne

While the podcast mentions "For Whom the Bell Tolls" in relation to a John Donne sermon, it's important to note that the title is most famously associated with Ernest Hemingway's novel. Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is set during the Spanish Civil War and follows Robert Jordan, an American volunteer fighting alongside the Republicans. The novel explores themes of war, love, and sacrifice against the backdrop of political conflict. Jordan's experiences and relationships highlight the complexities of war and the human cost of ideological battles. The novel's powerful prose and exploration of universal themes have cemented its place as a classic of 20th-century literature.

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One True Sentence, Writers and Readers on Hemingway's Art

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

In Our Time

Ernest Hemingway

'In Our Time' is a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway, characterized by its fragmented structure and stark, minimalist prose. The stories explore themes of war, trauma, and the disillusionment of the post-World War I generation. Interspersed among the stories are brief, vignette-like chapters that depict scenes of violence and death. The collection introduces recurring characters like Nick Adams, offering glimpses into his experiences and development. Hemingway's use of precise language and his focus on sensory details create a powerful and emotionally resonant reading experience. The collection is a landmark in modernist literature, influencing generations of writers with its innovative style and its unflinching portrayal of human experience.

#541

• Mentioned in 58 episodes

The Old Man and the Sea

Ernest Hemingway

The novella tells the story of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. Determined to break his unlucky streak, Santiago ventures far into the Gulf Stream, where he hooks a giant marlin. Over the course of three days, he battles the marlin, showing respect and admiration for the fish. Despite eventually killing the marlin, Santiago's catch is devoured by sharks on his journey back to shore. The story highlights Santiago's endurance, his deep connection with nature, and the themes of struggle, dignity, and the indomitable human spirit.

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Ernest Hemingway, Thought in Action

Mark Cirino

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• Mentioned in 3 episodes

A Separate Peace

John Knowles

The novel, narrated by Gene Forrester, delves into the intricate dynamics of Gene’s friendship with the charismatic Phineas (Finny) at Devon School, a fictionalized version of Phillips Exeter Academy. The story navigates the challenges of adolescence and the looming specter of World War II, leading to a tragic incident that alters the characters' lives. The novel explores universal themes such as friendship, jealousy, and the loss of innocence, set against the backdrop of a boarding school in wartime, adding layers of tension and symbolism to the narrative.

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Reading Hemingway's Across The River and Into the Trees

Mark Cirino

In Part 2 of our discussion on Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, Norton Library podcast host Mark Cirino returns to the guest seat (with producer Michael von Cannon stepping behind the microphone as host). The two discuss the cover design of the Norton Library edition, essential historical context for understanding the novel, and the ever-increasing political relevance of Hemingway's work in the twenty-first century.

Mark Cirino is Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature at the University of Evansville (IN). He is the author or editor of several books, including Ernest Hemingway: Thought in Action (Wisconsin, 2012); Reading Hemingway’s Across the River and into the Trees (Kent State, 2016); and, most recently, One True Sentence: Writers & Readers on Hemingway’s Art (Godine, 2022), which was written with Michael Von Cannon. Cirino and Von Cannon are the creators of One True Podcast, the official podcast of the Ernest Hemingway Society.

To learn more or purchase a copy of the Norton Library edition of A Farewell to Arms, go to https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324059424.

Learn more about the Norton Library series at https://wwnorton.com/norton-library.

Have questions or suggestions for the podcast? Email us at nortonlibrary@wwnorton.com or find us on Twitter at @TNL_WWN and Bluesky at @nortonlibrary.bsky.social.

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