Blood and Sand

Blood and Sand is a novel written by Vicente Blasco Ibanez, first published in 1908. Set in the bullfighting world of Valencia, Spain, it tells the story of Juan Gallardo, a poor boy from the slums who becomes a famous bullfighter. The novel follows Juan's rise to fame, his relationships with women, and his eventual downfall. The book explores themes of ambition, love, and the corrupting influence of fame. It also provides a vivid portrayal of the bullfighting culture in Spain, including the training, superstitions, and brutality of the sport. Blood and Sand has been adapted into several films and stage productions, including the 1922 silent film starring Rudolph Valentino. It is considered a classic of Spanish literature and has been translated into many languages.1919. Ibanez, Spanish novelist and political activist, also wrote The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which made him world famous. From the lowest ranks of poverty to unprecedented heights of riches and popular acclaim-thus was the career of Juan Gallardo, Spanish bull fighter. In telling his story, Ibanez has achieved a novel even more dramatic and powerful than his legendary Four Horsemen. From his boyhood Juan longed to be a bull fighter and, as he climbs the ladder step by step, the reader lives with him in the very atmosphere of the arena. No detail of the picture is spared-one can see and almost hear the actual battle-the crowds-the many characters that stream through the pages. And Juan himself, with his vanities, his superstitions, his daring attacks, his wounds and recoveries, emerges as real, vital and colorful as the sport to which he and many others dedicated their lives. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.