Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, first published in 1940, is the story of an American teacher fighting in the Spanish Civil War. The novel chronicles the tumultuous events of a seventy-two hour period.

Sartre's Nausea (American translation, 1949) uses the "found" journal of Roquentin to explore one man's metaphysical search for his place in the world.

Sartre's short story collection, The Wall and Other Stories, presents five stories that explore aspects of Sartre's philosophy.

Stephen Crane's Civil War novel, The Red Badge of Courage (1893), depicts the violent experiences of a young soldier. Crane's writing style challenges the reader to judge Henry's responses to his experiences.