Customer Reviews

The Brave Bulls (Southwestern Writers Collection Series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A page turning novel that was delightfully filled with love, gore, deceit, disappointment, and honor. I fell in love with the story, the countryside, the matadors, and the life of all those who watched, who veered, who cried, who cheered, and for the men - their friends and families - as each stood facing into the mirrored eyes of their destiny. You must pick it up and read it for yourself if you're a thrill-seeker!

I first read Tom Lea's The Brave Bulls in a Penguin edition in the middle 1950s and was captivated by its description of the life of an itinerant pair of Mexican bullfighter brothers as they travel and work around the bullrings of Mexico in the late 1930s or 40s. The description of the ritual and significance of the bullfight and the contrast between the poetic ideal and the gritty reality is very strong, but it gives the gringo reader an idea of the appeal of this rather one-sided sport. I bought a recent copy through Amazon to give to my son who had just seen a bullfight in Madrid and wanted to know more about the subject. Highly recommended, though maybe a period piece by now.

It has been some time since I read this book. It was mostly about the raising of this special breed of bull, how they are selected and what they are exposed to. The ranches who raise them take great pride in their finished product. If my memory serves me correctly, I read the book after seeing the movie, The Sun Also Rises. If you like bullfighting and all aspects of it, you will like this book.

It has been some time since I read this book, and would like to read it again. If my memory serves me correctly, the book is about breeding and raising fighting bulls. The ranchers reputation if based on his success. I don't think I would cherish the job. Again, the fact that the bulls never see a human on foot until they meet in the ring I personally found very interesting.