Akron Public Library

Originally published in 1932 and still considered one of the best books ever written about bullfighting, Hemingway's classic work of nonfiction describes and explains the history, grandeur, and technical aspects of this dangerous ritual.

A firsthand chronicle of a brutal season of bullfights. In this vivid account, Hemingway captures the exhausting pace and pressure of the season, the camaraderie and pride of the matadors, and the mortal drama as in fight after fight the rival matadors try to outdo each other with ever more daring performances.

Part sports writing, part travelogue, this is a portrait of Spain, its people, and their passion for a beautiful yet deadly spectacle. A brilliant observer in the tradition of Adam Gopnik and Paul Theroux, Edward Lewine reveals a Spain few outsiders have seen. There's nothing more Spanish than bullfighting, and nothing less like its stereotype. For matadors and aficionados, it is not a blood sport but an art, an ancient subculture steeped in ritual,...

"Every year in July, the world's attention turns to the city of Pamplona, Spain. Thousands of people pack the cobblestone streets dressed in white and red. A rocket in the sky signals the big event, the Running of the Bulls. Runners scramble to keep ahead of the animals, or at least keep away from their sharp horns. Many wonder how and why such a tradition began, and this book has the answers as well as the sense of excitement. Readers will sense...