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Searching for Life: The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo and the Disappeared Children of Argentina |  | Author: Rita Arditti
Publisher: University of California Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy Used: $2.33
as of 9/7/2010 18:57 CDT details
You Save: $22.62 (91%)
Seller: massbookstore
Rating:  reviews
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 251
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.7 x 6 x 0.7
ISBN: 0520215702
Dewey Decimal Number: 362.7
EAN: 9780520215702
ASIN: 0520215702
Publication Date: April 19, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Searching for Life traces the courageous plight of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of women who challenged the ruthless dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. Acting as both detectives and human rights advocates in an effort to find and recover their grandchildren, the Grandmothers identified fifty-seven of an estimated 500 children who had been kidnapped or born in detention centers. The Grandmothers' work also led to the creation of the National Genetic Data Bank, the only bank of its kind in the world, and to Article 8 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the "right to identity," that is now incorporated in the new adoption legislation in Argentina. Rita Arditti has conducted extensive interviews with twenty Grandmothers and twenty-five others connected with their work; her book is a testament to the courage, persistence, and strength of these "traditional" older women. The importance of the Grandmothers' work has effectively transcended the Argentine situation. Their tenacious pursuit of justice defies the culture of impunity and the historical amnesia that pervades Argentina and much of the rest of the world today. In addition to reconciling the "living disappeared" with their families of origin, these Grandmothers restored a chapter of history that, too, had been abducted and concealed from its rightful heirs. "An acute and impassioned observer, Rita Arditti describes Argentina's 'dirty war' years and the heroic struggle of a group of Argentine grandmothers who set out, against all odds, to trace the whereabouts of their disappeared children and grandchildren. Admirably comprehensive, Searching for Life reminds us how ordinary citizens can stand up to tyranny and prevail. Even today, the evidence collected by this tenacious group of detectives has led to the arrest of one of the military junta leaders, General Jorge Videla. The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo are truly the unsung heroes of our time." --Eric Stover, Director, Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley "The power of Rita Arditti's Searching for Life lies in its thorough, incontrovertible information, and the irrefutable condition of historical truths. Her book is living, faithful and incorruptible monument that protects us against the dangers of forgetting. Her account is an indispensable weapon for those of us who have been protagonists, and as a way to awaken those who were spectators and those who have opted for the comforts of blindness." --Alicia Kozameh, author of Steps Under Water
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| Customer Reviews:
Compelling and Inspiring May 3, 2003
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
You'd have to expect that mothers of children who were willing to be activists during an opressive military dictatorship would be strong women themselves and they were. These courageous women were willing to risk their lives to bring the world's attention to the junta's human rights abuses and to find their lost grandchildren. They even stood up to the Catholic church which sat by while these abuses occured. I particularly enjoyed how Arditti brought out the importance of identity and connecting with your roots. This explained the urgency in reuniting these stolen children with their rightful families.
INTENSE and captivating!A must read...unable to put it down April 12, 1999
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Very well researched, this book is a must for anyone concerned about human rights. It raised my level of social consciousness 5 notches. It was heart wrenching to hear how much the victims who disappeared suffered and the mental anguish of the defient grandmothers who still hold their viligent marches to pressure the Argentine government for answers to the disappearences. Ms. Arditti has really opened my eyes and the facts she presents about how the Catholic Church reacted to the grandmother's is absolutely astounding! Her style in telling this horrible tragedy by hearing from the grandmother's in their own words is very effective.
amazing!!.....you won't want to put it down April 11, 1999
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The history in this book is amazing. I can't believe that this was only 22 years ago. Very well written....you feel the grandmothers pain. Throughout, you have actual quotations from both the grandmothers and the survivors of this terrible time in Argentinas history.
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