Michener Magic

I have read Hemingway’s “Death in the Afternoon” three times and listened to it on books-on-tape once. This does not make me an expert on bullfighting but I was amazed to read that Michener could analyze, intuitively or otherwise, matador Lalanda’s “flowery display” and matador Ortega’s “classical austerity” at the first bullfight he had ever seen. Hemingway is probably restless in his grave wondering why he took so long to achieve this expertise.

LOUIS R. BECHTEL

Rancho Palos Verdes