Women and the Bullring

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About Women And The Bullring

Product Description "Muriel Feiner's Women and the Bullring is a ground-breaking work--a feminist treatise sprung from one of the last bastions of male dominance and chauvinism."--Allen Josephs, University of West Florida, author of Ritual and Sacrifice in the Corrida: The Saga of Cesar Rincon The presence of women in the bullring was literally banned in Spain until 1975, when the country's political transition to democracy recognized equal rights for women in every aspect of society. After centuries of brave and relentless crusading, women have managed to make inroads into this male domain. The story of Women and the Bullring is one of daring and determined women who overcome countless obstacles and sexist barriers to realize a unique dream--that of becoming a "matadora de toros." In the first English translation of this award-winning book on the subject, Muriel Feiner chronicles the struggle of women to become matadors--not only Spanish and Latin American women but also American, French, and British--from the 17th century to the present day. She also includes women who have attempted to make inroads into the bullfighting world as bull breeders, journalists, photographers, managers, artists, and impresarios, as well as a section devoted to the wives and mothers of some of the most prominent male toreros. Feiner's extensive research included interviews with noteworthy authorities and with the protagonists themselves. The text is complemented by an extraordinary collection of historical and recent photographs. Feiner's investigation into the fears, frustrations, determination, and motivations of these remarkable women provides a unique insight into an often misunderstood spectacle. Muriel Feiner is a freelance editor, writer, and translator living in Madrid. From Publishers Weekly Readers who were captivated by the character of the female bullfighter in Pedro Almodovar's latest movie, Talk to Her, may be interested in picking up Feiner's award-winning history of female matadors, bull breeders and impresarios. Though women were officially banned from the Spanish bullring until 1975, Feiner's exhaustive research proves that women have actually been participating in corridas since at least 1654. (Bullfighting itself dates back to the Middle Ages.) In addition to chapters providing biographies of such matadoras de toros as Bertha Trujillo, Raquel Martinez and Mari Paz Vega, the book contains an introductory essay on the "art" of bullfighting, overviews of the major changes in bullfighting since 1975, and information about fights and fan clubs outside of Spain and Latin America. Jose Ortega y Gasset once said, "You cannot understand Spain, its culture, or its history, without truly understanding the corrida, because every facet of Spanish society is clearly represented in the bullring." With this history, then, Feiner enlarges readers' understanding of both a sport and a country. 80 b&w photos. FYI: This is the first English translation of Feiner's book, which was awarded the Antonio Diaz Canabate prize in 1995. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. About the Author Muriel Feiner is a freelance editor, writer, and translator living in Madrid.