A friend loaned me this book because she knows I like James Michener. After witnessing a bullfight in Spain when I was young, I had to agree with Tom Lehrer that, “I hadn’t had so much fun since the day…that my brother’s dog Rover…got run over…” I suspected that there was more to bullfighting than met the eye, even though such a sight will never meet with my eyes again. I was fairly successful at laying aside my prejudices to enjoy this short (for Michener) book.Simple yet beautiful two-color line drawings compliment the text. Illustrator John Fulton portrays the world of bulls and bullfighters so well that it is no surprise to learn that he is an American matador based in Seville.Michener speaks in first person, casting himself as an American sports journalist on assignment. His descriptions of the styles and personalities of the four most popular matadors and his own relationship with the bull rancher are intriguing. His enthusiasm for the sport is obvious, and though his language is not extremely graphic, he does not sugar-coat the more brutal aspects of bullfighting. **spoiler alert!**Michener tells a tall tale of an old rancher, Don Cayetano, formerly among the most famous of bull breeders, producing bulls that fought bravely and honorably in the ring. Don Cayetano’s reputation had slipped throughout the years, and he prays to the Virgin Mary to restore quality to his bulls and honor to his family name. Even as he prays, his nemesis Lazaro Lopez, the cowardly gypsy matador, who seeks to dishonor the bulls, also prays, and their conflict drives much of the plot.I was enjoying the book quite a bit but really did not like the ending. If Hollywood ever makes this a movie, they will change that.
I recently wanted to buy a copy of this book for a friend and discovered that here in the United States, the book is out of print, though you can still find "new" copies in a few places. An American journalist travels to Seville on assignment and he's to report on efforts a rancher is making to revive his once-proud line of bulls. But the story discovered goes deeper into life's mysteries as it shakes the newspaperman's skepticism and opens his eyes to the wonder of faith.I have the hardcover illustrated edition and It's a magical little book.
