This work investigates the intense rivalry between two prominent matadors, Luis Miguel Dominguín and Antonio Ordóñez, during the 1959 bullfighting season in Spain. Hemingway, a seasoned observer of the sport, utilizes his deep personal connections within the bullfighting world to document the escalating competition between the two men. The text serves as both a technical examination of the art of the corrida and a personal account of the physical and psychological toll exacted by the pursuit of professional excellence.

The text is regarded as a significant, if late-career, contribution to the literature of the bullfight, capturing the technical precision and high-stakes drama of the sport. It provides a specialized, insider view that appeals to those interested in the cultural history of mid-century Spain and the specific mechanics of the corrida.