A young American volunteers for the Italian ambulance in the First World War. Up near the front he meets and falls in love with Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. Amidst the fear, chaos, comradeship and courage, his wartime experi-ence becomes one of intense disillusionment when he is wounded by a shell and later narrowly escapes being shot by the Italian 'battle police' while taking part in a general retreat. He makes the monumental decision to desert - and takes Catherine with him to Switzerland. An unsurpassed novel of war - drawn from Hemingway's own experiences - and a love story of drama and uncomprising passion.