Searching for Life: The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo and the Disappeared Children of Argentina

by Rita Arditti

Book Overview

FROM THE BOOK: "I want to touch you and kiss you.""You are my mother's sister and only one year older; you must have something of my mother in you."--A found child after being returned to her family

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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520215702
• ISBN13: 9780520215702
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Compelling and Inspiring

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.

amazing!!.....you won't want to put it down

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.

INTENSE and captivating!A must read...unable to put it down

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.