Frederic Henry is an American lieutenant of an ambulance corps serving in the Italian front of World War I. During his service he meets Catherine Barkley, an English nurse who goes on to work closely with him.

As the relationship between Frederic and Catherine develops, the novel follows the effects the war has on them and those around them. But the war is not the centerpiece of the book; rather, it serves more as a background and plot device for the growth of the characters’ interpersonal relationships.

Though the novel is not in any way an autobiography, Hemingway himself served as an ambulance driver in the Italian front, and his experiences directly inspired the character of Frederic Henry; a nurse named Agnes von Kurowsky who cared for Hemingway when he was wounded served as the inspiration for Catherine Barkley. Several other real-life people Hemingway engaged with during his time in Italy also served as inspiration for other minor characters.

A Farewell to Arms went on to become his first bestseller, with contemporary critics calling it “the premier American war novel from World War I.” It cemented his reputation as a powerful voice of the Lost Generation, and modern critics consider it among his best works.