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The easiest way to contact me is to simply leave a comment in the form below, filling your email address into that field, and click on ‘Post Comment’. The comment will not be published – I must authorise comments for that to happen – and I will reply to the email address you provide.

Comments

  1. Dodie Butler says:
    July 13, 2012 at 11:43 pm

    Hello!

    Wow! Until today, I had no idea who you are. My name is Dodie Butler. I’m English but left in 73…have travelled many years and now live in NC, USA.
    Haven’t read your book…but I may do so. Just interesting to see an Englishman who actually likes Bullfighting. Tlovehey say once it gets in your blood…you never recover.
    I lived in Spain for many years, late seventies to mid Eighties. and knew every major Torero fighting at the time. Our closest and dearest friend was Francisco Rivera…Paquirri, up until his death in 84. He was a wonderful man and a great Matador. Many many wonderful memories of him to treasure and all the other great Matadors we knew.
    I’m 65 and Spain is a long way away now, but Taurino still remains alive in my heart. I still hear from Victor Mendes occasionally…another of my favourites. A matador from Potugal…who did very well in Spain.

    Anyway, I kind of connected here, because I read that you have had threats because of your passion for Bullfighting. And I have had them also. People are so quick to judge something they have never seen, nor understand. So I understand your plight and just wanted to say Hello and thanks for Lovetodancestanding up for what I love. I wish you well and much sucess in your future….Dios Te Bendiga~~~

    Sincerely,

    Dodie Butler

  2. Robert Subiaga Jr says:
    July 15, 2012 at 3:26 am

    Dear Mr. Fiske-Harrison, I only recently came across your blog and have just started your book–in which I must say I am very engaged and impressed. The complexity of your exploration, and especially the authenticity, is great. (I am a secondary school biology teacher who comes from a combined biology, philosophy, and literary background, yet though I try to weave these in my own classes it’s a pleasant surprise when someone does so in the outside world in a way that resonates with me.)

    I’m very curious as to whether you’ve read or viewed explorations in many ways similar, when it comes to activities that are controversial where some find them brutal and others spiritual or artistic. In particular, I’ve been impressed by some works on MMA (mixed martial arts) and one book I can recommend without reservation is Daniele Bolleli’s “On the Warrior’s Path.” It’d be interesting to get your take on it.

  3. javier Guerra says:
    August 20, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    Hello Mr Alexander,
    I am Javier Guerra from Madrid. Me and another two architect collegues started recently a tshirt bussines about spanish folklore, Our first collection is focused on our beloved best toreros in Spain: Morante, Cayetano, Ponce and Talavante.
    It would be an honour if u had the time to watch our designs and we would be gratefull to send you a tshirt.
    This is our website : http://www.aguardienteclothing.com
    My email address is javierguerra@aguardienteclothing.com

    Congrats for your blog.
    Javier Guerra

  4. Crystal Amaral says:
    September 29, 2012 at 1:33 am

    Hello Mr. Harrison,
    I had a question regarding your work. I also am a great admirer of the art of bullfighting and was curious as to how extensive your work was a far as the way the tradition is played out in other countries such as Portugal, due to the fact that their style of bullfighting is quite distinct from that of Spain. I greatly admire your work, and shall be purchasing your book soon.
    Thank you,
    C. Amaral

  5. fiskeharrison says:
    September 29, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Dear Crystal,

    I know of the various styles to be found in Portugal and France, but no more than that. There is talk of a Portuguese edition of the book, and that may lead to me going there to add another chapter. Thank you for the kind words.

    Best wishes,

    Alexander

  6. Harry Wright says:
    January 1, 2013 at 3:23 am

    Dear Alexander,

    I have recently read your fantastic book, ‘Into the Arena’, and I must say that it was by far my best read of 2012, and one of the best ever! I have also just finished ‘Death in the Afternoon’, and I can honestly say that I think you present the whole topic of la corrida in a more comprehensive, impassioned and engaging way than even the great Mr Hemingway! Congratulations.

    I have loved bullfighting since I went to my first corrida at Las Ventas about a decade ago (I am now 25). I am now trying to plan a trip with my girlfriend and her father (who is similarly keen on bullfighting), and we are going to go to Ronda and Seville over Easter. I know that there is a corrida in La Maestranza on Easter Sunday, and I really want to get hold of some good tickets. However, I am aware that this is far from an easy task…and I am really writing to (rather cheekily) as for your advice on how one should best go about this task. I’d be very grateful for any tips.

    My only regret is that I am struggling to get hold of further copies of your book on Amazon – so if you can tell me where I can buy more of them I’d also be very grateful!

    Happy new year, and un gran abrazo.

    Harry Wright.

  7. Peter Holden says:
    March 9, 2013 at 11:44 am

    I was interested to see that El Juli is booked for Miuras in Seville this year. Were you surprised? I was!
    I would be interested in your view.

  8. Hugo La Torre says:
    April 17, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    Hello,
    IMPRESSIVE ARTICLE. My name is Hugo, I’m from Perú. I now live in Miami, Florida. I grew up watching bullfights in Lima, Perú. As a kid I would go to the “puerta de cuadrillas” and tried to get the bullfighter’s autographs, and I did. I met Paquirri, Paco Camino, Palomo Linares, and many more. It was the late 70s, great Toreros back then.
    As I grew up, I began to understand why a lot of people are against the “Corridas de toros”. And like you, just like you I‘m caught right in the very middle of love and hate. Today I can understand if they abolish bullfighting but I will DEFINITELY miss them. The passion about them came into me when I was a child, and it will never leave me.
    Your article tells the truth. Anybody can have an opinion about whether a bullfighting is right or wrong, and will respect those opinions, but NOBODY can argue the fact that bullfighting is an ART, and a very beautiful one. The moves, the forms, the expressions, and the emotions that a bullfighter delivers to the audience are as good as any other type of performance.
    Thank you.
    Hugo.

  9. markmadrid71 says:
    April 28, 2013 at 9:25 am

    AFH, I have just finished reading Into The Arena, which I heard about through some taurine web-surfing. Many congrats on an extraordinary work – I could gladly have greedily read in one sitting, but I wanted to make it last! I had seen the video and still images of Padilla, and am amazed at his bravery in coming back so quickly (or at all) after the horrific Zaragoza experience. He seems to be a real character – good for a night out in Seville!

    I lived in Madrid for 5 years from 2000-2005, and saw about 20 corridas, all but 2 in Las Ventas – in reality a collection of good feria material, some rejoneo, more than a few poor Sunday afternoon corridas in Ventas, and a couple of reasonable afternoons (one with Enrique Ponce) up in the little ring after the encierros in San Sebastián de Los Reyes. My first was actually a novillada at San Isidro on 16 May 2000, with 6 novillos-toros of La Quinta for Martin Antequera, Fernando Robleño and Antonio Barea, in which Martin Antequera had to kill all 6 bulls, the other two being dispatched to the infirmary. I subsequently met Antequera innthe tend idols of Las Ventas, and reminded him of that evening.

    I won’t bore you with the details, but I remember entering the Monumental with more than a little fear and trepidation, and ending it with elation and a sort of visceral excitement at the whole spectacle. I had an English aficionado, Andrew Moore, talking me through the whole thing, including predicting the cogida of Robleńo as he told me how the bull was developing sentido. No pun intended – but I was hooked for life.

    Great work, Maestro, and again many congratulations. Thanks also for assisting me in marshaling my arguments, as an apologist for la fiesta nacional.

    Any other taurine literature recommendations?

    Best,
    Mark

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