Matador

by Barnaby Conrad

Describes the last day in the life of Spain's greatest bullfighter

Genres: Fiction, Spain

248 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Barnaby Conrad, Jr. was an American artist, author, nightclub proprietor, bullfighter and boxer.

NB: Father of writer Barnaby Conrad III.

Washington Post obituary:
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/20...

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jun 25, 8pm ~~ One of my reading projects for 2023 is to go through some books I have collected over the years about bullfighting. Matador is just the second book I have read from this pile. The majority are not in the GR database at all, and many are in Spanish, which I can read but at a much slower pace than when I read in English. So this will probably be a two-year project at the very least.

I have both fiction and non-fiction titles for this project. Matador is a novel by Barnaby Conrad. According to the Wiki article about Conrad, this 1952 book was his second work, and was selected by John Steinbeck as his favorite novel of the year.

Only someone with an intimate knowledge of bullfighting could have produced this compelling portrait of a man facing his final fight, one he agreed to reluctantly after a challenge by the next 'number one' of the bullfighting world. But our matador 'Pacote' has problems. His concentration is not as sharp as it should be. He has allowed his relationship with his girlfriend to take over his life, becoming a city playboy. This is a problem for most successful matadors: with success come distractions that take time and focus away from the training that must be maintained in order to stay alive in the ring.

Pacote is also facing a fear he has never experienced before. Can he even go out on this final day without more than a few slugs of whiskey going down his throat first? And how will he handle the heir apparent who is so determined to perform better then the retiring master?

This was an intense look at the bullring through the eyes of a man who had forgotten more than he should have about what his life has been up to the point of his final fight. How will he face his fears? How will the afternoon unfold? Between the youngster and the man about to retire, who will win the battle of egos? Who besides the bulls will die?

This is the second time I have read this book but the first since joining GR. Conrad was a bullfighter himself so his descriptions and his knowledge are authentic. I have just ordered a few other Conrad titles so now definitely this particular project will last longer than just this one year.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the two best novels I have read set in the world of bullfighting It fictionalizes the last corrida of the great Manolete.

[Tilde D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Barnaby Conrad, who would later become my friend and mentor. Matador is actually a fictionalized account of the death of Spain's greatest bullfighter, Manuel Rodriguez known as "Manolete", who was killed in the ring on August 28, 1947.

Manolete and his story are a beloved memory of my growing up years. I read Barnaby's account, The Death of Manolete, when I was 12 years old.

[Svetlana Petrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novels I have ever read. Wow! What a ride! I finished it and started rereading it. I am not ready to part from it yet.

[Aykut Kısa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitabın özellikle ilk yarısını sıkıcı buldum ve içine girmekte zorlandım. Ama isminden de anlaşılacağı üzere Matador Pakote'nin arenaya çıkıp boğalarla dans edişini anlatan ikinci yarıyı tek nefeste okudum! Bir filmin içinde gibiydim o kısımları okurken, heyecandan yüreğim çıkacaktı. Pakote boğaya: Hey yaaaa! Toroooo! Toroooo! dedikçe ben kendimi tribünde bu anı izleyen bir İspanyol gibi hissediyordum. Boğa güreşinin incelikleriyle ilgili de bir sürü şey aktaran bu kitap beni kesinlikle tatmin etti. Matador-Seyirci-Boğa üçgeninde güzel bir eser.

[Jane Mettee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very real story by an author who was actually a bullfighter himself. It helps us animal lovers understand what draws people to this ancient sport. Baraby Conrad was an extremely popular author in the 1950s. He passed away recently at the age or 90. Fortunely his books are still available on kindle and in the form of an sudio download.

[Sarah N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have liked this book even better if I understood more of the bull-fighting terms. However, props to this book for pulling me all the way to the end when I didn't understand everything. The last two chapters alone make the read worthwhile.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book, i now understand the appeal of bull fignting. and have a new respect for the bull fighters

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Spain, bullfighting...narrative prose like Hemingway or Fitzgerald.

[Tilde D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Barnaby Conrad, who would later become my friend and mentor. Matador is actually a fictionalized account of the death of Spain's greatest bullfighter, Manuel Rodriguez known as "Manolete", who was killed in the ring on August 28, 1947.

Manolete and his story are a beloved memory of my growing up years. I read Barnaby's account, The Death of Manolete, when I was 12 years old.

[Jim Niehaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is remarkable. Written by an American, this play-by-play account of a 29-year-old matador in his last bullfight will astound you. Conrad must have been possessed when he penned this story.

The realism comes from the fact that Conrad was a bullfighter for a short while. He captures the sound and the soul of the dangerous and ugly sport. He mixes in the brotherhood of bullfighters and the intrigue and romance of it all. When the book was published in 1952, Steinbeck called it the best book of the year.

[Brian N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and brisk, this story of this book unfolds over an hour or so longer than it takes to read.

The literary precursor to Black Swan and The Wrestler, where the tragedy is staring you in the face and the pit is in your stomach from the onset, and both just grow from there.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this matador is on his last fight. he was ants to do one more and retire. This is that story and the whole of his history comes with him.

We follow his day until the end of the fight. I'm happy to say that this was well written and gave enough turns that I was happy with the ending.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 rating
you have to be an aficionado of corrida de toros to appreciate this book.

[Vincent Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: Graphic descriptions of bull fighting….
Hugely popular novel in it’s day and rightly so, but this would never get published today.

[Tommie Haag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read!

[Jocelyn Dolphin]

Very exciting

[Bt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. Extremely well written, and a great story.

[John Pitcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never been to a bullfight, but I felt like I was at one while reading this book. It took me through lots of emotions. And as an added bonus, I may have picked up a little Spanish along the way.

[Mikee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I read this book thinking I knew the whole story from the very beginning. Aging bullfighter goes back for one more fight, not for money but for the taste of fame and glory. Yada yada … dies in the ring. Immortalized.

Not quite. The book was beautifully written. The story unforgettable.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this at my mom's house when we were moving her and it was her dad's (my grandfather) that he bought new in 1952. I mainly grabbed it because it was his and I'm glad I did! It was really well done.

[Stephen Mettee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. This a book about courage and the pressures people put on themselves. Written in the simple style of Steinbeck and Hemingway.
Over 3,000,000 copies sold. A New York Times bestseller.