By Emmanuel Bobby
One hundred years after the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s landmark novel The Sun Also Rises, the legendary author’s influence remains deeply woven into the annual San Fermín festival in Pamplona, Spain. As thousands of visitors from around the world gather for this year’s celebration, Hemingway’s literary masterpiece continues to inspire travelers, writers and thrill-seekers eager to experience the famous Running of the Bulls firsthand.
Among those returning to the historic festival is Bill Hillmann, an American writer and veteran bull runner who has survived being gored three separate times. Despite the dangers, Hillmann says he would not miss the centennial celebration, crediting Hemingway’s novel with changing the course of his life.
A Novel That Changed American Literature
Published in 1926, The Sun Also Rises became Ernest Hemingway’s breakthrough novel and established him as one of the defining voices of 20th-century American literature. The story follows a group of American and British expatriates traveling across Europe during the Jazz Age as they struggle with love, identity and the emotional scars left by World War I.
The novel not only launched Hemingway’s literary career but also introduced millions of readers to the San Fermín festival in Pamplona, where the dramatic Running of the Bulls became one of the book’s most unforgettable settings.
Often regarded alongside F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as one of the great American novels, Hemingway’s work also helped popularize the phrase “Lost Generation” to describe the young writers and artists searching for meaning after the First World War.
In Spain, the novel is simply known as “Fiesta,” reflecting the central role the famous celebration plays throughout the story.
A Book That Inspired a Lifetime Passion
For Chicago native Bill Hillmann, Hemingway’s novel was more than simply enjoyable reading—it completely transformed his future.
Hillmann says he first read The Sun Also Rises at the age of 19 and finished the book during a marathon reading session that lasted well into the night.
By the time he turned the final page, he had made two life-changing decisions: he wanted to become both a writer and a bull runner.
Now 44 years old, Hillmann has fulfilled both dreams.
Over the past two decades, he has participated in hundreds of bull runs throughout Spain, including numerous appearances during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona and similar events held in smaller Spanish towns.
His fascination with Hemingway eventually led him to earn a doctorate in English literature, and today he teaches The Sun Also Rises at East-West University in Chicago while also writing extensively about the tradition of bull running.
Surviving Three Gorings
Hillmann’s passion for the festival has come at a tremendous personal cost.
During one of the bull runs, he was critically injured after being gored by a bull and believed he might not survive due to severe blood loss.
Another serious goring occurred in 2017, yet even while recovering in a hospital bed, Hillmann insisted he had no intention of giving up the tradition.
He has long argued that experienced runners view the event as more than simply a dangerous spectacle.
According to Hillmann, successful bull running requires skill, awareness, timing and respect for both the animals and fellow participants.
He believes outsiders often fail to appreciate the precision involved in safely navigating the narrow streets alongside charging bulls.
Americans Continue Hemingway’s Tradition
Hemingway’s influence remains especially strong among American visitors.
According to officials in Pamplona, Americans consistently represent the largest group of foreign participants in the Running of the Bulls.
City statistics from recent festivals show Americans accounting for roughly 16 percent of all international runners—far more than visitors from neighboring France or other European countries.
Many travel to Spain specifically because they first encountered the festival through Hemingway’s writing.
Tour Companies See Continued Demand
Dallas-based tour operator Bruce Anderson has spent decades introducing American travelers to San Fermín through his company, Running of the Bulls.
This year alone, Anderson’s organization is bringing approximately 1,400 visitors to Pamplona, with more than two-thirds traveling from the United States.
He says the centennial anniversary of The Sun Also Rises has generated additional excitement among literature enthusiasts and longtime Hemingway admirers.
Speaking inside Pamplona’s historic Café Iruña—a location frequently visited by Hemingway and prominently featured in the novel—Anderson reflected on the lasting influence of the book.
The café now contains a life-sized statue of Hemingway seated at the bar, attracting visitors eager to photograph one of the city’s most recognizable literary landmarks.
With his full white beard, Anderson says local residents frequently greet him with the nickname “Papa,” Hemingway’s famous nickname.
Hemingway’s Presence Still Visible Throughout Pamplona
Nearly every corner of Pamplona reflects the author’s lasting impact.
Hotels, restaurants and bars proudly display photographs, statues or plaques commemorating Hemingway’s visits to the city.
Outside the famous bullring stands another statue honoring the Nobel Prize-winning writer, while banners celebrating the novel’s 100th anniversary decorate public spaces.
One banner features Hemingway’s famous description of San Fermín:
“At noon of Sunday, the 6th of July, the fiesta exploded.”
The quote has become one of the defining literary descriptions of the festival.
Historic Hotel Preserves Hemingway’s Room
One of the city’s most cherished literary landmarks is the Hotel La Perla.
During his later visits to Pamplona, Hemingway regularly stayed in the hotel, and the suite he occupied has been carefully preserved.
Visitors can still see furniture dating back to the 1950s, when the author stayed there, along with bookcases filled with dozens of editions of The Sun Also Rises.
The room overlooks part of the famous bull-running route, allowing guests to experience the same view Hemingway enjoyed decades ago.
Former hotel receptionist Fernando Hualde, who worked there for nearly 40 years, says Hemingway played an enormous role in introducing Pamplona to the rest of the world.
Legacy Also Draws Criticism
While Hemingway remains widely celebrated, his legacy has also become the subject of debate.
Animal rights organizations have criticized both the festival and Hemingway’s admiration for bullfighting.
In The Sun Also Rises, the author devoted extensive attention to the bravery and artistry of matadors, something modern animal welfare advocates strongly oppose.
During protests held alongside this year’s festival, activists argued that many of the themes Hemingway explored—including hunting, warfare and bullfighting—are increasingly at odds with modern values.
His public image has also faced criticism from some scholars who argue that his writing and persona reflected an outdated vision of masculinity.
Tourism Creates New Challenges
Some longtime residents of Pamplona acknowledge Hemingway’s role in making their city internationally famous while also expressing concern about the consequences of overwhelming tourism.
Although Pamplona has approximately 200,000 permanent residents, the San Fermín festival attracts well over one million visitors during its nine-day celebration.
Roughly 15 percent of festival attendees come from outside Spain.
Many visitors, particularly younger tourists, embrace the festival’s nightlife as enthusiastically as its cultural traditions, contributing to concerns about excessive drinking and overcrowding.
Local literature professor Gabriel Insausti notes that Hemingway himself has, in some ways, become a commercial brand associated with the festival.
He points to one local establishment displaying a sign reading, “Hemingway was not here,” as a humorous reminder that the city’s identity extends beyond the famous novelist.
Insausti believes many visitors recognize Hemingway’s name without ever having read the novel that made Pamplona famous.
Running Remains Dangerous
Despite improved safety measures, the Running of the Bulls remains one of the world’s most dangerous annual sporting traditions.
Although no participant has been killed since 2009, serious injuries continue to occur nearly every year.
Gorings, broken bones and head injuries remain common as thousands of runners crowd the narrow cobblestone streets ahead of six charging bulls.
Hillmann believes the growing number of inexperienced international participants has increased the risks.
He recalls suffering one of his worst injuries in 2014 after another runner made a sudden movement that left him directly in the path of an oncoming bull.
The resulting goring nearly cost him his life.
A Literary Legacy That Endures
Hemingway’s granddaughter, actress Mariel Hemingway, believes her grandfather’s work continues to resonate because of its timeless exploration of universal human struggles.
She has frequently spoken about the author’s lifelong battles with mental illness, which ultimately ended with his suicide in 1961, while emphasizing that his literary achievements continue to inspire new generations of readers.
According to Mariel Hemingway, themes such as identity, love, grief, resilience and rebuilding one’s life after profound loss remain as relevant today as they were a century ago.
As Pamplona celebrates both another San Fermín festival and the centennial of The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway’s influence remains unmistakable. His novel transformed a regional Spanish tradition into a globally recognized event, ensuring that every July, thousands of readers continue making the same journey from the pages of literature to the cobblestone streets of Pamplona.
Original article
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