Rating: 
Summary: Lovely
Review: A beautiful and thorough (though somewhat biased) account of Hemingway's friendships, thoughts and life during the season of bullfighting in Spain. He makes it known that what it is to bullfight. Loved it.
Rating: 
Summary: Bullfighting through the eyes of Hemingway
Review: Considered literary non-fiction, this is the account of the 1959
season of bullfighting in Spain and the intense competition between
two competing matadors for the glory of that season. It is his last
major work at age 60; he killed himself the following year.In an
introduction by James Mitchner, it is explained that this piece was
commissioned by Life Magazine. The assignment was for Hemmingway to
revisit the bullfights he had written about in his classic novel
"Death in the Afternoon" published in 1940. Hemingway was
supposed to write 10,000 words for the article. Instead, he submitted
120,000 words. It was edited down to 70,000 words and ran in three
installments. This book I read, however, was only about 45,000 words
and focuses specifically on the particular contests between two
competing matadors who happened to be brothers in law. Hemingway had
a personal relationship with both of them and brings the reader to the
dinners and the parties as well as to the infirmary after a goring,
the painful healing process in Spanish hospitals that do not
administer painkillers, the long rides on bad roads between bullfights
and the dirt and heat and fatigue and glory. I have not read much of
Hemingway and knew nothing at all about bullfighting when I started
reading. Yet, by the end of the book a portrait of the author emerges
as well as an understanding of the history, tradition choreographed
performance of skill that occurs in the bull ring. Somehow, I was
able to move beyond my personal feelings about the slaughter of the
bull, and get into the mindset of Hemingway and the people of Spain,
where bullfighting is a national passion. It has to do with courage.
And it has to do with facing death. Hemmingway said it all it better
than I ever could: "This was Antonio's regular appointment with
death that we had to face every day. Any man can face death but to be
committed to bring it as close as possible while performing certain
classic movements and do this again and again and again and then deal
it out yourself with a sword to an animal weighing half a ton which
you love is more complicated than facing death."
Rating:
Summary: Bullfighting through the eyes of Hemingway
Review: Considered literary non-fiction, this is the account of the 1959season of bullfighting in Spain and the intense competition betweentwo competing matadors for the glory of that season. It is his lastmajor work at age 60; he killed himself the following year.In anintroduction by James Mitchner, it is explained that this piece wascommissioned by Life Magazine. The assignment was for Hemmingway torevisit the bullfights he had written about in his classic novel"Death in the Afternoon" published in 1940. Hemingway wassupposed to write 10,000 words for the article. Instead, he submitted120,000 words. It was edited down to 70,000 words and ran in threeinstallments.This book I read, however, was only about 45,000 wordsand focuses specifically on the particular contests between twocompeting matadors who happened to be brothers in law. Hemingway hada personal relationship with both of them and brings the reader to thedinners and the parties as well as to the infirmary after a goring,the painful healing process in Spanish hospitals that do notadminister painkillers, the long rides on bad roads between bullfightsand the dirt and heat and fatigue and glory.I have not read much ofHemingway and knew nothing at all about bullfighting when I startedreading. Yet, by the end of the book a portrait of the author emergesas well as an understanding of the history, tradition choreographedperformance of skill that occurs in the bull ring. Somehow, I wasable to move beyond my personal feelings about the slaughter of thebull, and get into the mindset of Hemingway and the people of Spain,where bullfighting is a national passion.It has to do with courage.And it has to do with facing death.Hemmingway said it all it betterthan I ever could:"This was Antonio's regular appointment withdeath that we had to face every day. Any man can face death but to becommitted to bring it as close as possible while performing certainclassic movements and do this again and again and again and then dealit out yourself with a sword to an animal weighing half a ton whichyou love is more complicated than facing death."
Rating:
Summary: one of my favorite books
Review: During the 1959 bullfighting season, Hemingway travels with one of the matadors and his team throughout Spain. Hemingway's other book on bullfighting, "Death In the Afternoon" is more well-known and perhaps more informative, strictly speaking, but it is dry in comparison to "The Dangerous Summer," which has the pace of an adventure novel or a thriller. And in that respect it seems to capture the excitement of bullfighting better than "Death in the Afternoon." (I say "seems to" because I've never been to a bullfight.) I also loved the descriptions of Spain that Hemingway offers as they travel around the country.
Rating:
Summary: Last Hurrah for Papa
Review: Fortunately I had read Death in the Afternoon before absorbing this last encore. By the end, I was attached at the soul to both matadors, (Cain and Abel!?). I wish I could read the other 50,000 words edited from this work. Papa described everything that was behind the fragile curtain of honor, bravado, showmanship, and the pageantry of bullfighting. Like many musicians or athletes of our time, we cannot observe from behind the scenes all the work, travel and lack of sleep that these people go through, therefore we cannot fully appreciate the bullfighters of the "Lost Generation". I recommend this book to anyone who wants to experience this true American literary icon and Spanish culture and History. It is interesting to see the way Spain has changed over the years. This book is full of magic and it describes the drive and mild competitiveness that all men and women should have inside in order to suceed in today's harsh world. The introduction of James A. Michener is beautifully written by someone who knew Spain. The terms are helpful to any who is not familiar with basic bullfighting. This is one of Papa's most under-appreciated least-recognized works, but that's ok with me.
Rating:
Summary: Last Hurrah for Papa
Review: Fortunately I had read Death in the Afternoon before absorbing this last encore. By the end, I was attached at the soul to both matadors, (Cain and Abel!?). I wish I could read the other 50,000 words edited from this work. Papa described everything that was behind the fragile curtain of honor, bravado, showmanship, and the pageantry of bullfighting. Like many musicians or athletes of our time, we cannot observe from behind the scenes all the work, travel and lack of sleep that these people go through, therefore we cannot fully appreciate the bullfighters of the "Lost Generation". I recommend this book to anyone who wants to experience this true American literary icon and Spanish culture and History. It is interesting to see the way Spain has changed over the years. This book is full of magic and it describes the drive and mild competitiveness that all men and women should have inside in order to suceed in today's harsh world. The introduction of James A. Michener is beautifully written by someone who knew Spain. The terms are helpful to any who is not familiar with basic bullfighting. This is one of Papa's most under-appreciated least-recognized works, but that's ok with me.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it..
Review: I am not one for bull fighthing but Hemingway, as always puts things in such wonderful words. I felt, I was a fan of the sport. Very wonderful book about his friendship with a bull fighter, Papa does a wonderful job explaining to someone whom knows nothing about bullfighting and allowing us to see it through his eyes.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Faena by Hemingway
Review: I must admit that Hemingway is one of my fovorite writers. This book covers the bullfighting season of 1959 in Spain. More specifically it is about a mano a mano between two of the greatest bullfighters of the time. This book is very detialed in the descriptions of the bullfights. Being a big fan of Hemmingway's other bullfighting books (Death in the Afternoon and The Sun Also Rises), I really enjoyed his wonderful descriptions of the bullfights, and would recomend this book to anyone who enjoyed either of these. This book is also great for anyone who is interested in bullfighting and wants to read what one of the most respected aficionados on the subject has to say about it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Faena by Hemingway
Review: I must admit that Hemingway is one of my fovorite writers. This book covers the bullfighting season of 1959 in Spain. More specifically it is about a mano a mano between two of the greatest bullfighters of the time. This book is very detialed in the descriptions of the bullfights. Being a big fan of Hemmingway's other bullfighting books (Death in the Afternoon and The Sun Also Rises), I really enjoyed his wonderful descriptions of the bullfights, and would recomend this book to anyone who enjoyed either of these. This book is also great for anyone who is interested in bullfighting and wants to read what one of the most respected aficionados on the subject has to say about it.
Rating:
Summary: Don't ever go to a bullfight without reading this book first
Review: I should have read this chronicle of bullfighting before my college semester spent in Madrid. I did not read it and instead, I sat in the bleachers of the arena completely disgusted, wishing for the first time in my life that I was at an American football game instead. I was so ignorant that I almost felt tempted to run down and let the pathetic black creature loose, like some rebel animal rights person in a research lab. Back then, I did not understand the history, tradition, glory and sentimentality that belongs to bullfighting. I was ignorant and should not have gone to the bullfight without reading this chronicle by Hemingway first. Now, I some day plan to return and to watch another bullfight. I know now I will see a completely different sport; and not really a sport but a performance. I once thought bullfighting was a battle between man and beast. After reading The Dangerous Summer I know it is a choreographed performance of skill, wisdom, experience and bravery. I urge anyone who plans to go to a bullfight, to read this first. Do not judge this Spanish tradition until you first understand what it is about.
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