The Real Life of Eva Peron

Title: The Real Life of Eva Peron

Authors: Nicholas Fraser & Marysa Navarro

Pages: 198

Genre: Biography

Grade: B

Synopsis: Eva Duarte is born out of wedlock to her mother and fights her way out of the poverty she was born into in the Argentine pampas. She makes her way to the capitol city by the time she is fifteen where eventually she is working as an actress voicing soap operas on the radio. She becomes romantically involved with Colonel Peron, before marrying him and becoming Argentina's first lady after he is elected president. Evita is loved, worshiped and adored by millions while simultaneously being hated, feared and despised by millions. After her death so young, her body is hidden for decades because the Argentine government feared the demonstrations and protests that would have inevitably taken place at her grave by the Peronists.

My Review: I added this book to my 'to read' list after Alison and I were able to watch Evita at Pioneer Theater in spring 2004. I finally got to it and enjoyed the book quite a bit. The biography is very academic and did not feel to be written as the type of book that would appeal to the masses. It was very apparent that the book took great pains to clarify the known facts from the unknown facts and assumptions. Evita was such an icon and loved and hated by so many that there are numerous conflicts in her life's story depending upon who's telling it.