Still considered one of the best books ever written about bullfighting, Death in the Afternoon reflects Hemingway's belief that bullfighting was more than mere sport. Here he describes and explains the technical aspects of this dangerous ritual, and "the emotional and spiritual intensity and pure classic beauty that can be produced by a man, an animal, and a piece of scarlet serge draped on a stick." Seen through his eyes, bullfighting becomes an art, a richly choreographed ballet, with performers who range from awkward amateurs to masters of great grace and cunning.
A fascinating look at the history and grandeur of bullfighting, Death in the Afternoon is also a deeper contemplation on the nature of cowardice and bravery, sport and tragedy, and is enlivened throughout by Hemingway's pungent commentary on life and literature.
...ContinuaProbably the best English language book about Spanish bullfighting. Nowadays this book can seem a bit dated seeing how it was written predominantly during bullfighting in Spain in the early 1930s. Even though this book covers many bullfighters from that period, it can still be current because Hemingway nicely explains the finer details of bullfighting for the casual observer. While everyone may not be interested in this topic or may even find it a little distasteful, it did arouse my curiosity about bullfighting and made me want to see (at least one) bullfight. Chapter 20 (the last chapter) is pure Hemingway writing at its finest and even if you aren't interested in bullfighting, I suggest you at least read the last chapter if you're a fan of Hemingway.
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