Why a Booktrail?
1950s: A very, if not the most iconic figure of Argentina is brought back to life here in the story of her corpse…
Santa Evita
What you need to know before your trail
Many people have, over the years, paid their respects to the greats of history – the bodies of Lenin and Stalin for example have been paraded for the world to see.
Perhaps one of the most iconic of those who have gone before is Eva Perón who died in 1952. She was almost elevated to sainthood following her death and many books,musicals and souvenirs have since been made highlighting her status even further.
In 1955 however, following the army who ousted her husband from power, they took Eva’s body but could not dare to destroy it for the backlash it would cause. It had become a sacred relic of sorts. This is the story of one of the strangest sagas in the history of South American politics
Travel Guide
What did happen the body of Eva Perón once her husband had been ousted from power? Where did it go after that and where do people think happened to it? It went on a 20 year journey into the unknown and was in the news all over the world. So what did happen?
The story was reported on the BBC website and the more you read the more you realise just what a mystery and an obsession this lady really was.
As we read the story of magical realism, historical insights and anecdotes, we discovered the history of country and the believes of the people wrapped up in this mystery of all mysteries. Argentina is a deeply religious country and so it is a fascinating insight into the religion of its people too. As with most if not all Latin American literature, the magical realism plays a large part but then this is a large part of its landscape.
If you’re studying Spanish or Latin American politics or literature, then this is a must read. Translated from the Spanish here, this would be a real treat to read in the original language. As well as a book about Eva Perón in life and in death, this book is the story of Argentina, the essence of Argentina and a legend that has lasted for many many years and is so imbued in Argentinean society .
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