Men Without Women

Men Without Women (1927) is Ernest Hemingway’s second short-stories collection and represents some of his most significant and compelling early writing. The 14 powerful stories here embody the crisp intensity and emotional depth associated with his writing. Among them, ‘The Killers’ presents a chilling encounter with two Chicago hitmen and their would-be victim; ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ captures a heart-wrenching conversation between a couple facing the prospect of abortion; and ‘In Another Country’ delves into the struggles of an Italian major dealing with war wounds and the devastating loss of his wife. The collection introduces a memorable array of characters: Nick Adams, a recurring figure in Hemingway’s 1920s and 1930s stories, in ‘Ten Indians’; the famed bullfighter Manuel Garcia Maera in ‘Banal Story’; and the unyielding boxer Jack Brennan in ‘Fifty Grand’. Spanning themes of sportsmanship, infidelity, war, and the poignancy of human connections, these stories tackle life’s harshest realities with unflinching honesty and lasting impact. With its lean yet profound narrative style, Men Without Women solidified Hemingway’s status as the leading American short-story writer of his time.