The fifth column is a play about the Spanish Civil War. Together with four short stories about that same period this book of just under 200 pages brings together Hemingway's works about the Spanish Civil War. Both the play and the short stories breathe strong authenticity. ( )

This collection, containing four short stories and the only play Ernest Hemingway published, is only for the completists. The play itself, 'The Fifth Column', is confusing and downright boring, with lots of the 'oh, shall we, darling?' type of interactions that will be very familiar to regular Hemingway readers. Usually, one can filter them out and focus on the good stuff Hemingway writes, but a play consisting largely of such interactions does strain one's tolerance. Aside from one nice line on page 67 – "You feel lovely. Sort of like a snow storm if snow wasn't cold and didn't melt." – the play is instantly forgettable.

The short stories are much better and go a long way towards redeeming the book. I didn't like 'The Butterfly and the Tank', which was rather an odd tale, but 'The Denunciation' has a good moral ending and 'Night Before Battle' is a social scene depicted seemingly as only Hemingway could. 'Under the Ridge' was a fine little story that wouldn't look out of place in Hemingway's great war novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Each of the stories are capable of moving you, and I want to give the book a higher rating because of this, but at 100 pages the play takes up the bulk of the short publication and so it has to be judged predominantly on that. If you've enjoyed the side-dishes but was unimpressed by the main course, you can't say you've had a good meal. ( )

I'm not a fan of Hemingway. I was bored out of my mind. I'm not sure these are even considered American Classics. ( )

Nice sentences. Maybe not Hemmingway's best, but still an entertaining read. The Hemmingway "fishbowl" reveals characteristics in man that are best encountered between-the-lines. ( )

Some interesting tales from the Spanish Civil War. ( )