Mozos: A Decade Running with the Bulls of Spain

I loved the gritty, powerful, and fierce writing in "The Old Neighborhood," but it was only when I heard about Hillmann getting gored that I learned he was involved in any way with the running of the bulls. How could I not read this book? I won't lie that bullfighting troubles me, but "The Sun Also Rises" was my favorite Hemingway book. I wanted to know more, and Hillmann delivers. Bullfighting bothers me, but Hillmann reminded me that there is much to it that I don't understand and don't have any clue about. He gave me a picture of why it exists and where it comes from. Brutal as it is, upon reflection I'm not sure it is any more brutal than any part of the meat industry in this country, and certainly has more beauty and humanity in it. I doubt I'm even close to understanding it, and certainly never will without ever being there, but Hillmann gave me more of an idea than I've ever had. The writing is excellent. It's vivid and fascinating, a window into a captivating world where I will probably never set foot. I just marvel at it, attempting to broaden my tiny little world.

An excellent tale, of both the encierro, and Hillman's personal struggles and triumphs!

Having been to Pamplona and being native Chicagoan, I'm probably pre-disposed to like this book. Hillman does a fantastic job of capturing the energy of the fiesta and both the external and internal dynamics of running the bulls.

Fabulous! So proud.

Unbalanced, glorified portrayal of bull fighting, and more specifically the Pamplona festival. The author takes a narrow view, focusing heavily on historical tradition as an explanation and justification for the continued existence of the festival, and more broadly bull fighting in Spain. He ignores the evolution of cultural norms within Spain (and particularly the divergent opinions that have begun to emerge in the historically defiant Basque region) and the continued internationalization of the festival. These omissions lead to an unbalanced argument that uses romanticized, tradition as a key pillar of explanation, without dealing with sociocultural influence that is an inevitable consequence of internationalization. If you're looking for a 'fan boy' account of the Pamplona festival, written by an author who believes a jaded past and participation in an event gives them some special insight, then you've come to the right place.

This is an epic story of redemption.