Douglas Unger

I figure one of every 6 books Goodreads recommends is good, and this one followed a good one. So no, didn't care for it. I wish I would have noticed it was fiction before I got it. I do like some historical fiction and I do enjoy non-fiction detailing the histories of rural places, but this one seemed like it went from nowhere to nowhere. I can only assume there's a lot of metaphors in this work that I didn't understand because I found nothing except lots of people complaining about how life is hard. And let this serve as a reminder to look a little more closely at the recommended books.… (altro)

Essentially, the book spans 3-4 months spent in Argentina in 1985 by Diego and his wife.

In high school Diego was a foreign exchange student to the Benevento family, a family composed of Papa (Martin), Mama, and three sons, Martin Secundo, Alejo, and Miguelito. Papa was a lawyer and the family was wealthy. After Diego returns to the U. S., Juan Peron dies, his wife Isabel rises to power, but because she is apparently the victim of a severe mental breakdown she is put under house arrest by the military which takes power of the country. The military runs rampant and there was severe oppressions visited on the entire country. Many thousands are imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately murdered. Sometimes the bodies of those kidnapped by the military are dumped by the roads or in the river. Most often they are never seen again. There were over 20,000 who disappear.

In 1985 Diego and his wife (Betty Ann) arrive in Argentina to discover that Alejo is one of the disappeared. Miguelito's body was recovered with six bullet holes. Martin Secundo was spared when his parents spirited him out of the country. He has himself just returned with his new wife and baby. Diego and Betty Ann assist the family in preparations for Papa's testimony at the trial of the military generals who are deemed to be the most culpable. Though the current goverment is democratic, the military still has great power and is continuing to harass and terrorize the citizenry seeking to bring them to justice, including the Benevento family. The events surrounding Alejo's disappearance and Miguelito's death are slowly revealed while the reader gets a real sense of the chaotic conditions of the country.

I enjoyed the book and it definitely added to my knowledge of the problems in Argentina, but I'll need more to give me a full knowledge of the complexities of this country.… (altro)