A fascinating look at the history and grandeur of bullfighting, Death in the Afternoon is also a deeper contemplation of the nature of cowardice and bravery, sport and tragedy, and is enlivened throughout by Hemingway's sharp commentary on life and literature.
Probably 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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