Argentina Books

Maradona is without a doubt the greates soccer player of all time. This biography shows some of its greatest moments on the Argentina's national team as well as in Napoli (Diego's second homeland.
Thanks Maradona for everything, thanks...

A player who may have been the best soccer player ever to pla

Much like his colorful and controversial life,this autobiography is told with flair, El Diego's unique flair. This book will entertain the soccer fan with soccer stories told in a frank and gritty style. Diego Maradona, arguably one of the best players to ever emerge to the international level, surely one of the most contentious, is honest about his soccer exploits but skirts around some of the controversy surrounding his life. I believe Maradona wanted to highlight his play on the field and leave the controversies behind. He does go into detail about his early life in Argentina,his rise from poverty, playing on the Youth National Squad and the winning of various awards thoughout his career.Included is an assortment of black and white and color photographs. You come away from reading this book knowing there is no doubt that Diego loves Diego; self depricating is nowhere to be found in this book. However, Maradona is quick to blame the powers that be for many of the problems surrounding soccer. He does talk about his infamous goal in the '86 World Cup competition. Possibly one of the most known goals, the one known as the "hand of God" against the English in World Cup 1986, is talked about by El Diego with no regrets. He admits to using his hand and justifies it by saying he would do it again(if he could getaway with it). El Diego throws around the f word freely in the book to further illustrate his devil may care attitude. You get the feeling that Diego is just being Diego. He dedicates about a chapter to each period of his carrer, beginning with his early years with Argentina clubs, most notably Argentina Juniors and the National Side, his stint with Boca Juniors, the frustration of Spain '82(he didn't make the squad), playing for Barcelona FC, his league play in Italy, the glory(depending on your view) of Mexico'86, several('87& '89) Copa America Cups, Italia'90 World Cup, the embarrassment of USA'94(he tested positive)where he was removed from the squad and his farewell tour with Boca in '95&'96. He talks about his enemies and those that he admires with complete honesty; you come away thinking Maradona is misunderstood, that he is just human and subject to making mistakes like anyone else. I only wish he would have been a little more adamant about the evil of drugs and how it ruined him. Granted he admits to his long addiction and says that people should stay away from cocaine but he could have told more about how it screwed him up physically and mentally. There had to have been a book worth of horror stories to tell about his extensive addiction. Nonetheless, this is a good book for the soccer afficionado, about one of soccer's most controversial and loved characters. It was a wild ride and Diego wants you to know that he is El Diego, one of the best players to ever wear the stripe.

A clearly established soccer legend, Diego Maradona also excels as a storyteller. Starting out poor in Buenos Aires, Maradona tells of his rise to fame, and all the hardships that come with it. Love him or hate him, this book is honest, and sincere and comes across in the writing.

This is the book about romanticism, deep class separation, politics and honesty in the Chile of 1850, The hero shows all the points of his flawless character in the context of a full ethics approach to relationships, It will make an spectacular gift for teens and persons of teen heart because it included a passionate love story with optimistic message for all.

Additionally the political events that form part of the novel are real, and will provide a deep knowledge of political forces in a just-born Country.

I read it when I was teen, I reread for my fifty birthday, always with watery of eyes.....

La literatura chilena es excelente, recuerdo este libro con nostalgia ... volveria a leerlo si lo tuviera en mis manos y tuviese tiempo! Os lo recomiendo desde la primera página os cautivará.

I was a little put off by the literal British translation, but that aside, this book is written so well and is so powerful, especially in its last 75 pages that I highly recommend it. The story is more about the corruption of a country and its breed of criminality than a group of thugs who rob an armored car.

Make no mistake about it. This is a so-so translation of a truly fine work by Ricardo Piglia. Only those who are able to read the original in Spanish will appreciate my otherwise questionable rating of five stars.

In the first place, this is NOT a novel. It is a book written along the lines of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood," an account of an actual crime using the perspective of motive and characterization as a basis for constructing not so much a narrative as an imaginative analysis of events.

For those who want an even more penetrating and dramatic version of the story, the film "Plata Quemada" is available on dvd. It recreates the original book in such a way as to emphasize the linear narrative elements generally absent in the printed account. Moreover, it features brilliant directing, acting, and cinematography together with an absolutely mesmerizing soundtrack.

Now, as to the present translation: it is workmanlike and literal. I cannot fault it in that regard, as it tries to make sense for the English-speaking audience of an original vernacular laden with "lunfardo" and "porteño" conceits that are utterly missing in standard dictionaries. For those of us whose Spanish is textbook with some few Mexican words, that is a necessary component in understanding the original. But I can assert unequivocally that the style, the flavor, and the underlying connotations of the original are simply not there. Additionally, it employs British rather than American equivalents of street slang and figures of speech that most American readers will just not get at all.

I realize that this is a critique rather than a review. The reader can find out what the "story" is all about by reading the canned reviews. Bank robberies and cops-and-robbers stories are pretty much all alike anyway. This one is different in that it centers on some very unusual characters, especially given the time (1965) of the action. While popular acceptance or even consideration of such things as widespread police corruption, drug use, gays, and uniquely Argentine history was rare at the time in our own society, our collective consciousness over the years has been invested with a deeper awareness of the human capacity for all kinds of behavior previously recognized only in less clinical ways, ranging from total depravity to the most sublime and redeeming kinds of aspirations.

"Plata Quemada," which is more properly translated in relation to the author's true intent as something like "burning the money," is one hell of a good story. But that does not make it a novel.

The book commences with a retrospective analysis -- thorough and complete -- of Argentina's history from viceroyalty to Peron. It traces the deep social roots of Spanish conquest and creole development within Argentine society. These concepts build upon one another in an outstanding work that explains Peron, his politics, his psychology, his return to the Casa Rosada from exile, and his country. There are too many historical/political characters for the first-time Latin American history reader, but definitely recommended to all interested in the region's past which somehow lingers on.

I have read most of the biographies available on Juan Perón, and I must say that this is by far the most culturally sensitive one I have ever found. This author helps to dispel many of the misconceptions about Juan Perón, who he was, and what he accomplished in Argentina. This book says that many of Juan Perón's failures and successes were pre-determined by his culture. The author then traces that culture back to its genesis with the Castile in Spain. This author's description of the Castile value systems and customs is very insightful and eloquent.

This book has so much breadth and depth and cultural understanding that it is amazing. This book has helped me greatly even in my own personal life because, though I am not Argentine, I am a part of the Hispanic Creole tradition that the author says Juan Perón belonged to, and this culture is often misunderstood. My Grandfather was from Mexico. The confusion that occurred in Argentina in regard to the Peróns is the same confusion that I have dealt with all my life. This book says that there are largely two worlds at work in Argentina: the Hispanic Creole world, and the Anglo world. I have lived within these two worlds myself, though I have done so in the United States. The misunderstandings that can occur between these two worlds, the lack of communication, can often be very painful and difficult. This book has truly helped me to understand and resolve many conflicts and confusions, including understanding my own father. This book has given me deep insight into myself, and has helped me understand and identify the common themes that run throughout all of Hispanic cultures and countries.

This author uses Evita herself as an example of cultural misunderstandings, and says that her legacy and behavior was often misinterpreted. He says she lived and died as a testimony to "the inability of one ethos truly to understand another." Even Evita's dying in public was an aspect of the Hispanic Creole preoccupation with death and the splendor and dignity associated with it, it was a public confirmation of devotion to her people. Those outside of this tradition did not hold this view of death and looked upon Evita's public dying as merely a sickening and morose political ploy, a desperate and offensive last-ditch cry for political propaganda. The author refers to such misunderstandings as "the legacy of incomprehension."

It is this "lacuna," this cultural misunderstanding, that led to many other grossly inaccurate "projections" onto Perón and Evita by their opposition and foreigners. The most common of these "projections" being the belief, still held by some, that Perón and Evita were fascists and nazis, thus: "Peronism was not fascism . . ." [page 220]; "Peronism was not nazism . . . 'there is less anti-semitism in Buenos Aires (in the 1940s) than in New York City'" [page 221]; "The names of Perón and Evita were everywhere . . . (t)he domestic opposition to Perón found all of this distressing, and so did general opinion outside Argentina. Many concluded it was part of a dictatorial buildup, or the conscious campaign for ego-satisfaction by a pair of leaders thirsting for glory. But this missed the point. Rather, adulation personalized in this manner was another facet of the symbiosis between the leader in the caudillo-oriented Creole tradition and his followers, a generally spontaneous response by loyal supporters of a strong ruler." [page 211]

This author helps the reader to see Juan Perón clearly. Juan Perón was not a saint, but he was not the devil many have made him out to be. He was a politician composed of the good and bad present in all politicians. And he was misunderstood.

This book is a series of essays by various people in the workers' movement in Argentina. Some are better than others, but they all come together to give you a clear idea of what is going on. It is so heartening to see the workers, slowly but surely, winning their dignity and right to work to support themselves.
The introduction is by Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis, who made a documentary of the workers' movement called The Take. If you can find a copy of that, watch it too!
The book is an easy read -- I was so entranced I went through it pretty fast because I couldn't stop reading it.

This book takes no particular ideological stands, but presents a phenomenon unique to Argentina(for now, I hope) which presents a promise
to be an antidote to "free"-market globalism.

A wonderfully well written book with plenty of valuable insights. I am a politics and Latin American studies major at Brandeis University in my senior year. This book was assigned for a class that focused on Argentina and Brazil, but I did not notice its value until this year when I took a social movements class that covered the entirety of Latin America. This book is essential towards understanding the old Populism, social movements and authoritarian regimes of the mid 1900's - early 1980's, and finally the implementation of neoliberalist policies with a focus on Menem and his values versus those of the Partido Justalista (PJ). The social movements class did not focus on Argentina (except for Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo), but I ended up using this book for all three papers (and it wasn't even required reading for the class). Out of all the books I've read on Latin America, I've made it a point to hold on to at least two specific books. This book is one of those books. The other is "Theorizing Social Movements" by Joe Foweraker.

In Europe and Australia, left wing and trade union dominated parties have regularly come to power. Usually, this has necessitated an accomodation with the prevailing capitalist structure of their countries.

But what about the experience in South America? Levitsky studies in detail the Peronist Party of Argentina. With a storied populist past, that some might call demagogue inspired. He finds the party quite adaptable to a neoliberal zeitgeist. This is correlated with long term structural changes in the Argentine economy that reduced the direct influence of the trade unions.

The book shows very detailed analysis, backed by considerable quantitative data.

Just to put the prior review in context, this is a very worthwhile work of nonfiction -- specifically, socio-econo-politico-anthropological reportage. Apparently the reviewer meant "book" rather than "novel"....

A visit to the ranquel indians(Una excursion a los indios ranqueles)is the most famous novel of the argentine "dandy" writer Lucio Mansilla.
Nephew of the ex dictator Rosas, Mansilla grew up as any other nobleman at his age. He used to be haughty, scorn the culture of the aboriginal as "barbarism" and" uncouth".
But his opinion changed completely after visiting the ranquel indians during a mission send by the federal government.His original motive was oblige the indians to concede the territory for the construcion of railroad, but while he lived along side the indians, he realized that the problems the indians have were mostly because of their povertry, and they are neither uncouth, imbecil and bellicose as the government described.
The indians were really brave, smart and loyal to the friendship.
Mansilla felt that himself was also converted to a inseparable part of the indian community. At the same time, he also know clearly that his mission was to destroy the indian's hacienda.
The today he complete his mission must also be the final of the peaceful life of these ingenuous poor people.
It was really a painful option for Mr Mansilla...

Although Rockwell Kent is mainly known as an artist and illustrator he also deserves a fine reputation as a travel/adventure writer. This book describes his months of small boat sailing and trekking in the islands and channels of Tierra del Fuego at the very southern tip of South America.
This was in the 1920's, a time well before ecotourism became a business. Going off on an adventure had a very different meaning: no reliable maps, no aerial photos, no GPS, no satellite phone to let you bail out when it got a little tough - it was actually dangerous out there. The book lets you in on an experience probably unobtainable in the modern world.
The wonderful illustrations by Kent are a bonus, but the style is more grandiloquent than his classic "N by E".

Armchair adventurers who love sailing, roughing it through forests, bogs and mountains in strange lands, and meeting new people in brief encounters will love "Voyaging," by Rockwell Kent. The book begins with a shocking confession in the Introduction, and carries the reader through 184 pages of high excitement and magnificent descriptions of one of the most desolate and forsaken places in the world -- the area about Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.

The book's main characters are (1) Kent, about 40; (2) his mate, a Norwegian of 26 years who started his life by shipping to sea under his father when 14, who after a few months of beatings jumped ship, cursing as he went, apparently never to see his father again; (3) a lifeboat, which Kent bought for $20 and named Kathleen, and with a group of tradesmen modified to include cabin, mast and rigging for sails; (4) the West Wind, which whistled ceaselessly and tossed the little boat about dangerously, and (5) a menagerie of people along the way who extended hospitality, most with loving kindness, a few with malice.

A touching moment came on Bailey Island when Kent asked 20-year-old Margarita García, the name of her three-month-old suckling daughter. The baby has no name because she has not been baptized, Margarita replied. There in that inhospitable land Kent converted a dirty hovel into a cathedral and "baptized" the child, giving her his wife's name Kathleen Kent García. Kent writes that Father García, a murderer who earlier was released from a nearby prison after serving time, said "the ceremony had pleased him particularly as it was in truth the baptism of his child."

Characteristically, Kent illustrates the book well with black-and-white drawings of the stark landscape, and a few portraits of his new acquaintances. He also includes several maps by which the reader may follow the men's attempt to sail around Cape Horn -- an adventure that did not always go according to plan, as the reader will discover. -- Allen Long, Arlington, VA.

horrible writing style albeit old fashioned. snail-crawling storyline, textbook-like sentences, every page was a tormenting, lot of italic paragraphs that were supposed to be the thoughts of all those moronic characters in this book. none of the characters looked realistic and capable. have tried several of this writer's novels, but failed every time after 10 to 30 pages. never again.

I really enjoy reading this book despite its length. It has lots of action that will take you places. Perhaps one thing I enjoy most is the Argentina. I highly recomment if you like reading hair raising thriller.

I am so dissapointed with this book, its so lame and drags for so long... no where near Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum's work.

It is a long and sometime drawn out story, but it does show the inter workings of the different departments of the "sneek and peek" part of our Government.

The in-fighting and non-sharing of info/intel goes on everyday and it continues.

I enjoy books that take you around the World, as right now that is where the war on terror is being fought.

My only problem with this book was that, we had a big long build up and a really fast end to everything.

But that has not stopped me from already buying the next in the story line.

Enjoy......

I don't know how I got all the way through this book. I guess I was expecting that there would eventually be some good action and it would get exciting. But the only action in the book lasts all of ONE page. And it's a LONG book. It could've been pretty good, if it was more succinct. If not action-packed, at least it has good descriptions of Buenos Aires. But WEB Griffith repeats himself incessantly. He keeps summarizing what has already happened. Generally, Charley Castillo tells one person what happened. Then he goes and talks to someone else and tells them what happened. And then he reports to the president and tells them what happened. Why can't Griffith just write "and he told the president what happened"? Instead of writing it all over again? Plus, everyone is so full of themselves, it drives me nuts. Except Charley, who is rightly doubtful about his own abilities. He SUCKS. He totally fails the mission. And he bullies people with his rank constantly. Yet everyone around him keeps congratulating him. "Charley, don't get down on yourself, you're super great! Really! Have $11 million and form a secret army, OK?" Jeesh. I'm sorry, but Juan Cabrillo would kick Charley Castillo's a-- any day. And finally, the love story is stupid. WEINERSCHINTZEL, baby! Constantly. Weinershnitzel, weinerschitzel, weinerschitzel....Aghhhhh!!! Really embarrassing stuff. Any real woman would run screaming from that. Juan Cabrillo would steal his girlfriend in 5 seconds flat.