Into The Arena by Alexander Fiske-Harrison
'Whether or not the artistic quality of the bullfight outweighs the moral question of the animals' suffering is something that each person must decide for themselves - as they must decide whether the taste of a steak justifies the death of a cow. But if we ignore the possibility that one does outweigh the other, we fall foul of the charge of self-deceit and incoherence in our dealings with animals.' Alexander Fiske-Harrison In a remarkable and controversial book Fiske-Harrison follows the tracks of a whole bullfighting year in Spain. He trains and takes part in the sport himself. He gives us memorable portraits of bull-fighters and bulls, of owners, trainers and fans - of a whole country. Fiske-Harrison offers a fully rounded and involving portrait of an art as performed for centuries and of the arguments that dog it today.
An informative and breathtaking volume of gonzo journalism * Herald *
The essential incongruity of an Englishman in the ring makes this book an engrossing introduction to bullfighting * Financial Times *
He [Fiske-Harrison] develops a taste for the gruesome spectacle, but what makes the book work is that he never loses his disgust for it..what I really enjoyed about Into the Arena is that after nearly 300 pages I still couldn't quite decide whether bullfighting should be banned or allowed to flourish * Daily Mail *
Into the Arena begins by brilliantly capturing a fascinating, intoxicating culture ... Provides an intriguing introduction to Spain's "great feast of art and danger" * Sunday Times *
Entertaining ... bears comparison with Kenneth Tynan's outstanding book Bull Fever * Spectator *
Whatever you think of Alexander Fiske-Harrison's account of his quest to become a bullfighter, you have to admire his guts ... His descriptions of the fights are compelling and lyrical, and his explanation of different uses of the matador's capes is illuminating ... This complex and ambitious book examines not only life in the bullring but also Spain's cultural identity and modern ideas of masculinity -- James Owen * Mail on Sunday *
Transposes the spectacle into words with great success * Literary Review *
A really, really good read -- John Inverdale
Fantastic... it's a fascinating insight into a world we know little about but are quick to judge -- Ben East * Metro *
The essential incongruity of an Englishman in the ring makes this book an engrossing introduction to bullfighting * Financial Times *
He [Fiske-Harrison] develops a taste for the gruesome spectacle, but what makes the book work is that he never loses his disgust for it..what I really enjoyed about Into the Arena is that after nearly 300 pages I still couldn't quite decide whether bullfighting should be banned or allowed to flourish * Daily Mail *
Into the Arena begins by brilliantly capturing a fascinating, intoxicating culture ... Provides an intriguing introduction to Spain's "great feast of art and danger" * Sunday Times *
Entertaining ... bears comparison with Kenneth Tynan's outstanding book Bull Fever * Spectator *
Whatever you think of Alexander Fiske-Harrison's account of his quest to become a bullfighter, you have to admire his guts ... His descriptions of the fights are compelling and lyrical, and his explanation of different uses of the matador's capes is illuminating ... This complex and ambitious book examines not only life in the bullring but also Spain's cultural identity and modern ideas of masculinity -- James Owen * Mail on Sunday *
Transposes the spectacle into words with great success * Literary Review *
A really, really good read -- John Inverdale
Fantastic... it's a fascinating insight into a world we know little about but are quick to judge -- Ben East * Metro *
Alexander Fiske-Harrison was born 1976 and is an English writer and actor. He is best known for writing and acting in The Pendulum in London's West End and has contributed to Prospect, Frieze, The Times and Financial Times.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781846683350 |
| ISBN 10 | 1846683351 |
| Title | Into The Arena |
| Author | Alexander Fiske-Harrison |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Profile Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2011-05-26 |
| Number of pages | 304 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2011 (UK) |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |