EVITA: THE REAL LIFE OF EVA PERON is the definitive biography of the woman most famously known as the subject of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. What this book has that all other biographies lack is: research. The authors visited Argentina in the process of their writing, and interviewed dozens of people who knew and worked with Evita.

The other key ingredient to the success of this book is the neutrality of the authors. They don't have anything invested in what the reader thinks of Eva Peron. They do not want to sway the reader in any particular direction. The authors are neither "pro" nor "anti"-Evita. In the preface to the book they make the promise to try to present Eva as a human being, but concede that this is not as simple a task as it sounds. Evita, they claim, is buried beneath more myth and fantasy than any other historical figure of modern times.

Originally published in 1980 as EVA PERON, this re-issue, made to coincide with the release of the movie starring Madonna, contains a new introduction and epilogue in which Nicholas Fraser comments on the odd re-emergence of Evita as a late 20th Century phenomenon. Astonishingly, the re-emergence was predicted by Evita, who said, "I will return and I will be millions," shortly before she died. Though her story is at last a part of history in her homeland, "In the rest of the world," writes the author, "she has attained the condition of apotheosis." Fraser theorizes that the return may have to do with the fact that we live in a celebrity obsessed era where actors are paid more attention than politicians, making Evita - an actress-turned-politician who was accused by her opponents of turning national political life into show business - the perfect minor deity.

I would recommend EVITA: THE REAL LIFE OF EVA PERON to anyone interested in a somewhat scholarly rendering of Evita's life, as opposed to sensational pop biography (such as EVA PERON by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz).

You may remember her, Eva Peron, I do not in fact, purly because of my age, but you may remember her. She spoke words in which brought courage to a weak nation, those words, beautiful, passionate and ever so powerful. I feel this piece of respective litriture portrays her soul, better that any photograph.

After seeing a documentary on Evita, I thought I knew everything about her. This book added more interesting parts of her life (as well as what happened after she died). I'd read it again. I can't see how anyone could not enjoy it.

Borges is not quite like any other author I've ever read. Some of his influences appear to have been Swift (in his brilliant, mock high-serious parodies of scholarly writings) and E.T.A. Hoffman (in the often arcane subject matter of his stories, and in their sheer weirdness). He shares with his contemporary, Nabokov, great stylistic elegance and a love of intellectual puzzles.

And he's clearly influenced the work of a host of artists, writers, and thinkers: the Foucault of "What Is An Author?," Stanley Fish's reader response theories, the paintings of Remedios Varo, the novels of Auster and Pynchon, even the recent film "Memento," all bear unmistakable traces of his influence. Perhaps the writer Borges most resembles is Kafka - he and Kafka were masters of the short story, managing in a few taut pages to pack a dazzling breadth and depth of ideas, effects, and implications. Most significantly of all, both Borges and Kafka are in many ways sui generis.

So you really must READ Borges (who, shockingly, never won the Nobel Prize) to get a full measure of his originality. His stories are mysterious, elliptical, hauntingly beautiful. The best of them are capable of expanding the boundaries of consciousness by forcing the reader to question the nature of knowledge, of time, of identity, of reality itself. In short, the effect is, as I believe they called it way back in the 60s, a mindf***.

If you've never read Borges before, "Labryrinths" is an excellent place to start, as it includes not only many of his most memorable stories, but some astute pieces of literary criticism ("The Argentine Writer and Tradition"), as well as his short, fable-like "Parables" (of which, for me, the most resonant are "Everything and Nothing" and "Borges and I"). The heart of this collection, though, are stories like "Pierre Menard, Author of the 'Quixote,'" "The Library of Babylon," and "Funes the Memorious." They contain images that will haunt your dreams.

Several of the previous reviewers of LABYRINTHS have done an excellent job of discussing its nature and general contents as well as addressing Borges, his background, and his philosophical bent. Rather than going back over material previously covered, I'd like to address a few of the short stories, or as he refers to them, fictions. I'll stick to these and leave the essays and parables to another reviewer.

A few of his fictions, such as "The Shape of the Sword," are fairly straightforward narrative accounts. "The Shape of the Sword" does have a bit of a twist at the end that makes it very worth reading, but it is not on this type of story that Borges built his reputation. That reputation comes more from such fictions as "The Lottery in Babylon," "The Library of Babel," and "The Sect of The Phoenix," among others. I hope that a short discussion of these three will whet one's appetite to read Borges in his own words.

"The Lottery In Babylon" is the story of the evolution of a simple lottery into an all encompassing game of life. It leaves one with the philosophical question as to whether life is controlled by some master gamesmen or is all a matter of random chance.

"The Library of Babel" imagines a world composed of a library without physical or temporal end. You cannot read this story and not wonder about the concept of infinity. That concept is obviously one of physical, metaphysical, and philosophical import. A thoroughly thought-provoking story.

"The Sect of the Phoenix" is a bit sneaky. Borges discusses a sectarion group with a secret rite that has infused itself throughout our world. This rite, though almost universally practiced, is rather hush-hush in polite society. Borges never overtly reveals what this secret rite is, but somewhere along the line, the reader uncovers the mystery and will probably kick himself and say "I should have seen that coming."

I can't imagine reading this book without becoming more aware of the mysteries around us.

These stories are unlike anything else I know of in literature. Borges is a completely original genius, whose erudition and playfulness is exceeded only by his love of language, and the unforgettable structure of his prose.

Like Joyce, like Nabokov, like no other writer, Borges creates his own world, which exists at an oblique angle to our own. Probably nothing I have ever read has had such an effect on my thinking as these five-page stories. They are like metaphysical poems in prose.

And they are endlessly entertaining. I must have read "The Library of Babel" and "Pierre Menard, Author of the *Quixote*" dozens of times each.

And the short essays at the end of this volume are in their own way just as entrancing. He is a magical writer -- one of the great artists of this century.

I read some of Cortazar's stories for a class in fantastic literature. From the moment I started reading the first story in this collection, Axolotl, I was hooked. Cortazar is such an amzing writer, has such a beautiful way of phrasing things and his stories always involve the unexpected and are completely up to many an interpretation. Make sure to read House Taken Over and Continuity of Parks, those two were my favorites. If you can, also obtain a copy of his story All Fires the Fire, another great fantastic tale. In short, Cortazar is an amazing modern writer that everyone should explore.

Julio Cortazar is probably one of the best writers of short fiction! I found a collection of his writing by accident years ago while looking through the latin american writers (I was obsessed with Gabriel Garcia Marquez.) I think that anyone would find his haunting characters and facinating story lines to be some of the most compelling in modern literature.

His stories are what I believe would happen if Ray bradbury were to write as beautifully and as mysteriously as J. D. Salinger.

Julio Cortazar reminds me more of the late great Spanish film director, Luis Bunuel, one of the founding fathers of Surrealism, who once remarked that, when writing a film, he always aimed for whatever was most disturbing in any given situation. Similarly, Cortazar's stories are all constructed around a disturbing vision. In "The End of the Game," for instance, three children don bizarre costumes and assume attitudes for the passengers on the trains that zip by them.

"Blow-Up" is very different from Antonioni's film. There is a menace in the interplay between the photographer, his unwitting subjects, and a third party who was watching both.

My favorite story in the collection is "The Pursuer," a nakedly brilliant study of a black American Jazz musician and the critic who never quite understands the demons that give birth to the music. The story is dedicated to Ch. P., who I assume is Charley Parker. Cortazar's musician lives on the edge and is plagued by disturbing visions as he spirals down into a personal apocalypse. The critic, on the other hand, tries ineffectually to help the musician, but is more worried about what people will say about his latest study of the musician's work.

Cortazar's stories take place in a kind of half-European, half-Latin Neverland. Born in Belgium of Argentinian parents, he spent most of his life in Europe. It is as if the author's self-exile gave birth to a demon of restlessness that possessed his characters.

Although this is the first Cortazar I have read, it will not be the last.

Argentina is a perfect place to live, pitty its economy. But it has beautiful and astonishing sceneries. This book describes one of the most gorgeous parts of the earth. I realy enjoyed reading it. If you have the chance visit Argentina

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is biography/ history/ anthropology/ natural history/ pholosophy/ adventure. When Dover published The Uttermost--- as a paperback,it was the book I chose most often to give as a gift.It is the story of (Estaban) Lucas Bridges' life in Tierra del Fuego. I enjoyed its intricate character (like I enjoy Pattern Language and the Holy Bible) One friend told me that he did not like the book because it was hard to follow and hard to keep track of the different people. The Uttermost--- is a book that I could read again and again and it would be fresh and new.

I would strongly recommend reading "Alla' en la Patagonia", by Maria Brunswig de Bamberg (ISBN 950-15-2062-5, Javier Vergara Editor, Tiempos Vivos, 1999 Editiones B Argentina) - memoires of her youth on Lucas Bridges' sheep ranch (near Lago Ghio), based on letters of her mother, notes from her father and her own recollections. Her mother saved Lucas Bridges' life - an interesting story in itself. This book has some funny and fascinating detail, e.g., as a recent German immigrant (I say "immigrant", though they did not yet realise they, with the exception of Maria, would never return to Germany) her mother fed all the numerous passers-by full meals, let them sleep in family beds and made full meals with baked bread and desserts, etc., totally unaware that all the gauchos expected was a "capon" (hung mutton) to cut their meat from!

Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s was a time of change and growth. Richard Garay lives with his ailing mother in Buenos Aires, where he cruises for sex with other men and works at a loathsome job. After the Falkland War, he comes into contact with two American diplomats who become the catalysts for Richard's own changes and growth. He finds better work, becomes more connected with the world at large, and later finds a man to love. But even in Argentina, the far-reaching tendrils of AIDS touch everyone. The last third of the novel becomes an eloquent testament to the power of love and hope, against all odds. In Tóibín's capable hands, what could have been a tedious story about politics becomes a wondrous journey of a man into the world at large through to the other side.

I picked up this book quite by accident assuming it to be a historical novel set in an Argentine backdrop. It had some of that but was much more. Using the years after the dictatorship of 1976-1983, the author begins the story focusing on a quiet unassuming young man who lives with his mother and just happens to be gay. For those who are anxious to learn more about the awakening of democracy, there is some of that. The dominant theme covers the US role in Argentina's changing political climate. However, as the book develops the reader finds the focus of the novel shifting gradually to the main character's sexual coming of age. The story moves quickly from political cocktail parties with the Argentine elite to furtive homosexual encounters in a Buenos Aires steam bath. As the reader follows the progression of events, the main character becomes a success both emotionally and economically. I found myself encouraging him on. It is easy to like this guy and hope that he can overcome the constraints of living with his aging mother in a culture that does not celebrate his sexuality. The sex scenes, both homosexual and heterosexual, hold the reader focused on the struggle that the main character is feeling. Ultimately the book shifts to the topic of AIDS. This was a disappointment as it introduced a theme written about so many times before and not necessary to the story's conclusion. Notwithstanding that, this book is very well written and held my interest from beginning to end. I would recommend it highly.

After reading & enjoying Colm Toibin's latest book, "The Blackwater Lightship", I decided I must read his other books. Again, I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed this beautifully written novel as much as "The Blackwater Lightship." Colm's sentences are very long and full of details, and once you get use to his masterful style of writing you just can't stop reading. I think that's what I like most about his writing, that everything is brought to the surface, and no details are left out.

There are actually two main themes here, and they are combined beautifully. It's the story of Argentina during the Falkland Wars and its struggle for democracy & freedom, and the story of a gay man's coming of age who is also struggling to find himself, his place in life & real love. I think Richard Garay & Pablo's love for each other is beautifully developed in a very sensitive true-to life way. Although your heart may break by the end of this story you'll remember these characters long after you finish this book.

If you like a book that can take you away, make you happy, bring tears to your eyes, and teach you a lot about other people & their cultures, this book is definitely worth a read. This book is written with intelligence and was a sheer pleasure to read!

Depending on your belief system, this book could be quite an eye-opener. I say that because we in the American church have very little experience with demons. We run tidy little services with comfortable pews and sermons that keep us feeling good about ourselves. And by and large, we keep things at mostly an intellectual level. In this book, there is NONE of that. Satan and his demons are real ememies that we can fight by....well, you will have to read the book to find out how.

This book is a powerful read. If you enjoy Benny Hinn, E.M Bounds, Lester Sumrall, Smith Wigglesworth, you will be delighted by this selection.

This book brings out some of the issues that as a Christian society we fail to partake, or not partake in for that matter.

The Lord said that those who believe these signs shall follow.

Are you a believer of the the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What then is stopping you from walking into hospitols and rebuking sicknesses off of the afflicted? What is stopping you from laying hands on those with no feet and proclaiming thier healing in Jesus name. Is your faith based on the Word? If so then you would have no doubt in these things coming to pass. The Lord tells us this plainly in His Word.

This book is a must read for those who hate the devil. Do you want to experience full power in the name of Jesus Christ? Read this book. It will inspire you, and maybe open your eyes on some topics that you have hidden away.

God Bless

I HAVE TRULY FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE BIBLICALLY BASED. SOMETIME IN OUR WALK WITH GOD, WE WILL BE FACED WITH THE ENEMY. THIS BOOK OFFERS A "HOW TO" APPROACH IN TAKING AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THERE ARE A FEW MEN LEFT WHO AREN'T AFRAID OF POSSESSING THEIR DOMINION RIGHTS!

EVA PERON by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz is not a good book. It is not helped by the fact that, as others have noted, it was originally written in another language. As is often the case, something was lost in the translation. In addition to being overly dramatic, at times tabloid-ishly so, it is plagued with historical inaccuracies: it uses the terms "dictator" and "fascist" to refer to Peron. Such accusations are by now passe to the serious biographer of Peron and Evita. As Robert D. Crassweller points out in PERON AND THE ENIGMAS OF ARGENTINA, "Peronism was not fascism ... (it was) an authoritarian populist movement, strongly colored by Catholic social thought (and) by nationalism [pp. 220-223]."

After reading EVA PERON by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz, I was left wondering what the point of it was. Why was this book published? It really has nothing of substance to offer. Obviously, it was published to coincide with the release of Madonna's movie EVITA and to capitalize on the renewed interest in the historical Eva Peron.

For a serious biography of Evita, I recommend EVITA: THE REAL LIFE OF EVA PERON. For an interesting anthropological study of Evita's importance to Argentine society, I would recommend EVA PERON: THE MYTHS OF A WOMAN.

Eva Peron was one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th Century. She inspired both fanatical devotion and vehement opposition, but rarely anything in between, especially among Argentinians. Consequently, there are wildly different versions of her story -- some viewing her as "Santa Evita," others as a personification of sin and corruption. Till now, most biographies of Evita have been biased toward one party line or the other, and some scraped up the most sensational versions of every incident. Alicia Ortiz goes out of her way to compare opposing stories and offer reasonable conclusions as to where the truth really lies. Refusing to gloss over Eva's weaknesses or overlook her amazing strengths, Ortiz gives a very human and enlightening portrait of a remarkable woman. Considering that the author's father was a political prisoner of the Peron regime, her fairness is all the more impressive. Ms. Ortiz also examines the unique mindset of that Argentinian culture, explaining the sexual and political chemistry that were key factors in Eva's rise and fall. The translator retains many idiomatic aspects of Spanish prose, as well as the tango lyrics that reflect key aspects of the Argentinian spirit (but normally defy translation into English). Not always an easy read, but absorbing and satisfying -- easily the most thorough and well-balanced book on Eva Peron to date.

This book is by the far the best Evita Peron book. As a huge fan of the life of Eva Peron, I have read all the current books on Evita, and this one is the most imformative. I love all the pictures in this book, and the information is great. This is a must for anyone who loves history, and especially, Eva Peron.

Imagining Argentina is a novel that would be best described as unique, profound and very extordinary. It is focused on the topic of how imagination becomes the key element in survival and strength. It reflects the actions of a young man named Carlos Rueda who comes across a unique ability to percieve the fate and wherabouts of people who have been kidnapped by their corrupt government. Imagination is used as a tool of what appears to be war between the government and the citizens, which proves to show how powerful it really is. The power of imagination is not just something Carlos can do but is something that anyone can do in order to stay strong. The theme of the novel revolves around how imagination is an act of hope. Hope of never giving up. We enjoyed reading this novel very much. Lawrence Thornton writes with great creativity and imagination which makes the novel so intrigueing to read.

A brilliant and inspiring novel, Lawrence Thornton's "Imagining Argentina" effectively portrays the turmoil and struggle in Argentina in the 1970's as people were taken from their loved ones by corrupt government officials and became members of "the disappeared". Using exceptional and eloquent writing techniques, Thornton is able to portray a story of love, imagination, despair and most provocatively, faith. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this novel, is its ability to establish a relationship between the reader and the protagonist, Carlos Rueda. So deeply intriguing and stimulating is this central character, that the reader cannot help but communicate with him, by sympathizing the losses of his wife and daughter, understanding his desperation and desperation and inhaling his words of wisdom and bold faith in humanity. The story emphasizes on the theme of faith and the power of the human spirit. Carlos' unbreakable belief in his wife's survival is never tarnished nor questioned, as he able to unite a lost community and bring hope that their loved ones will return someday. The only negative aspects of this novel is that sometimes the book is so plotted out that it feels like you are watching a movie rather than reading a book. The novel also starts off slow but picks up very quickly towards the middle. I highly recommend this novel, "Imagining Argentina" and hope that it moves you just as much as it has moved me.

I read this book, Imagining Argentina, for a class on conscience and political struggle. Of the books we read (Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee, In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, and others), this book quickly emerged among my classmates as a favorite. This is in part due to the fact that it is an easy read. The language flows smoothly, unburdened with cumbersome wording. Also, the crafting of the story is quite artful. Imagining Argentina takes its material from historical events. Argentina's so-called "dirty war" was an internal conflict, waged by the military government on the people. Anyone who publicly decried the generals or their policies risked being disappeared. The main character of Thornton's novel, Carlos Rueda, is a playwright who discovers a gift for seeing both past and future events through the eyes of the disappeared after his own wife is taken away. People start coming to him to hear the stories of their disappeared loved ones. Though many of the characters are fictional, the stories Rueda tells are taken from actual experiences of victims of the dirty war. Thus, Thornton blends mysticism with factual information to create a novel that is both a compelling read and a moving account of Argentina's dark, not-so-distant past.

The author of this book was more interested in glamourizing the sport rather than presenting a factual and historical narrative. This is the major problem with polo. This book claims to be a comprehensive book on polo yet there was no mention of the fact that polo originated from the Buzkashi sport which is played in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polo itself originated from the northern areas of Pakistan. In fact, the word 'polo' means 'ball' in Balti which is the language of the Baltistan region in north Pakistan. I wouldn't be surprized if the author doesn't even know this. The oldest surviving polo clubs in the world are that of Chitral and Gilgit (both in Pakistan ) who to this very day play annually at the magnificient Shandur Polo Ground at the Shandur Pass in Pakistan's Hindu Kush mountains - the highest polo ground in the world. Had these facts been incorporated in the text of the book, I would have had more respect for it. Yet it joins the ranks of tens of recent books on polo, such as 'Polo' by Penina Meisels and Michael Cronan which have only sought to present the glamourous "Palm Beach and Ralph Lauren" side of this dangerous and spectacular game, without going into its real essence, spirit and history. The difference between Pakistan and Palm Beach is that in the former, we play the game for passion not for glamour. The land of Pakistan - a country which invented the game and sustains it - deserves a mention in any book on polo.

This book is one of a kind. If you enjoy playing polo, this is a book that MUST be in your home. If you love horses, you will find brilliant scenes captured by Mrs. Barrantes. She captured, on film, her life in polo. This is not just a picture book of the sport, it is a real inside view of the real polo life. If there are any books still available, buy it. You will not be disappointed.

One of the best polo coffee table books around. I received this a few years ago as a wedding gift from my friend Matias in Argentina. The pictures are beautiful and as an enthusiast, this is certainly one book to have. The author's untimely death makes this book a collection not to be given a miss.

The Rhinemann Exchange features a fascinating fictional premise that Ludlum has dreamed up within the setting of the closing stages of the Second World War. Germany desperately needs shipments of industrial diamonds to perfect its rockets. The USA desperately needs functional high-altitude gyroscopes to perfect aircraft guidance systems. Both sides have what the other needs. And so unfolds "an exchange between enemies at the height of the bitterest war in the history of mankind" (p97), with Erich Rhinemann functioning as the liaison in the neutral territory of Buenos Aires to oversee the exchange. David Spaulding, the man from Lisbon, is the American agent released from his service in Portugal and commissioned on a secret mission to bring the gyroscope blueprints back to the USA. But he doesn't know the terrible secret of the diamond transfer which his country is giving up in exchange. And who is trying desperately to stop the exchange? And what role in the action does the fanatical Jewish group Haganah play? What unfolds is combination of action and suspense, in typical Ludlum style. But in the end the novel didn't quite live up to the potential that the premise offered, and the story lacked the heart-stopping action and suspense of Ludlum's better page-turners, and was burdened with too much confusing political dialogue, and unexplained loose ends. An interesting read, but newcomers to Ludlum would be advised to begin instead with some of his better books, such as (in my preferred order) The Bourne Identity, The Materese Circle, The Holcroft Covenant, and The Aquitaine Progression. -GODLY GADFLY

Ludlum has used a unique plot and a very original approach to writing this book. Both of the powers in World War II are in need of a product to have a sucessful war effort. The Nazis are in need of industrial diamond to finish Peenemunde and the Allies need a gyro guidance system in order to effectively bomb the Germans. The two sides are finally brought together and a deal is made. The two parties will meet in Argentina. David Spaulding an excellent agent in Spain is sent to Argentina by his government. He doesn't know the real purpose of the illegal transaction. The Nazis are going to trade the gyro system foe the industrial diamonds. In the meantime the Haganah(an underground Jewish group) brings Spaulding the real nature of the transaction. Spaulding is finally able to crash the deal. The Nazis lose thanks to Spaulding, with the help of the Haganah. This is a very good book that is definitely a page turner.Buy it,you will not be dissapointed.

This was another good book written by Robert Ludlum. You could use the term pageturner with the Rhinemann Exchange. The two nations at war during World War II are in a desperate need for certain products to make their war efforts sucessful. The Nazis are trying to get their rocket factory Peenemunde on line in order to have a good war effort. The Americans need to get a gyroscope design to help their bombers. For the Americans their main invasion Operation Overlord is in jeapordy.The Nazis need to obtain industrial diamonds in order to put Peenemunde on line. The Nazis have the designs for a gyroscopic guidance system. The Americans (the Aircraft Company) can produce the industrial diamonds. The trading of these two products are a must for both sides. A meeting is arranged in South America in Buenos Aires. David Spaulding who is an undercover agent in Lisbon is sent to represent America. He knows only of the designs. Into the picture enters the Haganah(Jewish underground group).After several attempts the Haganah finally shows Spaulding the other side of the excahnge. Spauldin springs into action and sabotages the master conspiracy. With the help of the Haganah David is able to bring a close to this evil plan. This is a must read book. Another masterpiece from Ludlum.