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Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron
The life that inspired Evita, the major motion picture starring Madonna.
The story begins in a dusty village lost in the Argentine pampas, where a girl, born out of wedlock, scrambles her way to the capital city by the time she is fifteen. It ends with the embalmed corpse of Eva Peron being hidden away by nervous politicians for fear that if the working people of Argentina knew where it was buried, it would inspire them to revolution.In between Eva Peron became first the actress Eva Duarte, then the mistress of Colonel Perón, then, in October 1945 after the "shirtless ones" had swept Peron into office, the president's wife. In the colorful, tumultuous setting of postwar Argentina, she wielded a power--spiritual and practical--that has few parallels outside of hereditary monarchy. She was literally idolized by millions but was hated and feared by many as well. She became Evita, the legend.
The story begins in a dusty village lost in the Argentine pampas, where a girl, born out of wedlock, scrambles her way to the capital city by the time she is fifteen. It ends with the embalmed corpse of Eva Peron being hidden away by nervous politicians for fear that if the working people of Argentina knew where it was buried, it would inspire them to revolution.In between Eva Peron became first the actress Eva Duarte, then the mistress of Colonel Perón, then, in October 1945 after the "shirtless ones" had swept Peron into office, the president's wife. In the colorful, tumultuous setting of postwar Argentina, she wielded a power--spiritual and practical--that has few parallels outside of hereditary monarchy. She was literally idolized by millions but was hated and feared by many as well. She became Evita, the legend.
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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April 30, 2013
Evita: The Real Life of Eva Perón – with an emphasis on ‘Real’
If you have any interest whatsoever in one of the most famous Argentines – make that women – who ever lived, then this book is highly recommended. In less than 200 pages authors Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro sum up the life of a complex person driven to greatness despite her humble birth. At the same time they provide a succinct history of twentieth century Argentina.
But beware, myths are dispelled.
If, like millions, you held flawless visions of Eva Perón (née Duarte), the illegitimate daughter of a rancher left high and dry with her mother and siblings in a dusty rural cattle town, and who went on to champion the rights of her fellow underprivileged and downtrodden Argentines, then you might just be disillusioned at the corruption and egotism that also marked much of her life.
And if, like many others, you believe that Evita was little more than a stylish fascist, a shill for her husband, the infamous General Perón, pioneer of the Argentine police state of later years, and was obsessed only with bars of gold, French gowns and adulation, then you will probably be disappointed as well.
Because Eva Perón’s short life, before she died at thirty-three after a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer (ironically the same illness that would strike down Juan Perón’s first wife), was one of contradictions, demonstrated by grand gestures in the Latin style (she proposed a monument the size of a building to her beloved decamisados—the ‘shirtless’ workers who brought the Peróns to power), as well as tireless efforts to reach out to the poor, whom she never lost touch with. The Eva Perón Foundation, a massive charity not without its share of fraud and politicking, handed out countless fifty peso notes to anyone who lined up outside Eva’s office, and built state-of-the-art clinics and hospitals still in use today.
She organized the Female Peronist Party and raised political awareness for Argentine women. She was instrumental in getting them the right to vote—an effort that would help her husband win a crucial election, despite his many enemies.
Not bad for a woman who escaped a windblown cow town with a cardboard suitcase and embarked on an acting career as a fifteen year old in 1930s Buenos Aires. Falling prey to more than one man willing to exploit her, in one instance Eva was publicly humiliated by an industry insider outside his office after she slept with him in the hopes of getting a part in a play. She didn’t get the part. And rumors of her more sordid activities to get by abound. But she kept acting. And she got better, becoming the highest paid radio actress at a time when radio was king in Argentina, and meeting the influential Juan Perón at a charity function. Even as a young starlet bent on fame she showed fervent support for charities.
Becoming his mistress, the strong-willed Evita became Sra. Perón, when the public demanded respectability. And she was arguably his better half, bringing a new look to the outdated uniforms and stiff-armed style of the classic Latin American dictator and crafting an image that would serve him well. Juan Perón soon donned Italian suits and a softer bearing as Eva became his front ‘man’, winning over a postwar world no longer enamored with fascists. After WWII, when Juan Perón became persona non grata, it was Evita who traveled to Spain, Italy and the rest of the Europe (but shunning the UK when the Queen would not personally meet with her), spreading the kind of PR reserved for American movie stars and paving the way for Argentina to secure badly needed loans. All the while handing out coins and bills to the poor. She was called the ‘South American Eleanor Roosevelt’ only Eleanor Roosevelt didn’t travel with a separate DC3 for her luggage. Or have 25,000 well-wishers standing outside her hospital for close to a year, or a million and a half citizens trooping in from every part of the country to show their respect as death approached.
The letters back and forth from Eva to her husband during the European trip were the stuff of romance. She clearly loved the man who arrested and imprisoned his enemies and who allegedly had a predilection for young girls—warts and all.
She delivered the ‘shirtless ones’, the workers who were the backbone of the Peronist Party, with huge, dramatically-staged gatherings that preceded the 1946 elections and saved her husband from defeat. And again in 1951, now bringing along half a million female votes as well, in the new age of women’s suffrage, despite being unable to stand (and often unable to speak), afflicted with the cancer that would take her life in 1952.
Contradictions: the woman who hosted Argentina’s politicos and her husband’s powerful associates at their home in her pajamas when she couldn’t be bothered to put on one of her many ‘scandalous’ gowns, who would offer to ‘open a few tins’ if they suggested dinner, was the same woman who worked tirelessly at her foundation all day, every day, until she was confined to a hospital bed.
And once Eva was gone, in spite of being embalmed in a glass-topped coffin that millions of followers would file by and reverently touch, Juan Perón’s magic too vanished. By 1955 he was exiled in a military coup after his country fell into financial ruin. Coincidence perhaps, but Perón’s enemies understood the power of Eva’s ghoulishly preserved eighty pound corpse, and went to great lengths to conceal it after her husband’s fall. That’s another story, of how Eva’s body was rediscovered many years later in a grave in Milan under the name ‘Maria Maggi’. Her enemies needed to get rid of her image but were afraid of destroying her body. She held that much power—even in death.
Had she lived, Eva Perón would have eventually been elected President of Argentina. She had already been put forward for vice president at a time when women went to the beauty parlor.
Eva was brought back from Italy to Argentina to lie in state in the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires (called the most exclusive neighborhood in Latin America). Anyone visiting today will continue to to see a line of people at her crypt.
The cult of Eva? Without a doubt. But an Argentine associate of mine told me of his parents, who read Eva’s inspirational quotes in their school textbooks as children, and still feel a sense of pride in the woman who put their country on the twentieth century world map.
How many women who once lived in a single room with their mother and four siblings, who worked as a child in the kitchens of the estancias, helping their family scrape by, end up being played by Madonna in films named after them?
If you have any interest whatsoever in one of the most famous Argentines – make that women – who ever lived, then this book is highly recommended. In less than 200 pages authors Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro sum up the life of a complex person driven to greatness despite her humble birth. At the same time they provide a succinct history of twentieth century Argentina.
But beware, myths are dispelled.
If, like millions, you held flawless visions of Eva Perón (née Duarte), the illegitimate daughter of a rancher left high and dry with her mother and siblings in a dusty rural cattle town, and who went on to champion the rights of her fellow underprivileged and downtrodden Argentines, then you might just be disillusioned at the corruption and egotism that also marked much of her life.
And if, like many others, you believe that Evita was little more than a stylish fascist, a shill for her husband, the infamous General Perón, pioneer of the Argentine police state of later years, and was obsessed only with bars of gold, French gowns and adulation, then you will probably be disappointed as well.
Because Eva Perón’s short life, before she died at thirty-three after a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer (ironically the same illness that would strike down Juan Perón’s first wife), was one of contradictions, demonstrated by grand gestures in the Latin style (she proposed a monument the size of a building to her beloved decamisados—the ‘shirtless’ workers who brought the Peróns to power), as well as tireless efforts to reach out to the poor, whom she never lost touch with. The Eva Perón Foundation, a massive charity not without its share of fraud and politicking, handed out countless fifty peso notes to anyone who lined up outside Eva’s office, and built state-of-the-art clinics and hospitals still in use today.
She organized the Female Peronist Party and raised political awareness for Argentine women. She was instrumental in getting them the right to vote—an effort that would help her husband win a crucial election, despite his many enemies.
Not bad for a woman who escaped a windblown cow town with a cardboard suitcase and embarked on an acting career as a fifteen year old in 1930s Buenos Aires. Falling prey to more than one man willing to exploit her, in one instance Eva was publicly humiliated by an industry insider outside his office after she slept with him in the hopes of getting a part in a play. She didn’t get the part. And rumors of her more sordid activities to get by abound. But she kept acting. And she got better, becoming the highest paid radio actress at a time when radio was king in Argentina, and meeting the influential Juan Perón at a charity function. Even as a young starlet bent on fame she showed fervent support for charities.
Becoming his mistress, the strong-willed Evita became Sra. Perón, when the public demanded respectability. And she was arguably his better half, bringing a new look to the outdated uniforms and stiff-armed style of the classic Latin American dictator and crafting an image that would serve him well. Juan Perón soon donned Italian suits and a softer bearing as Eva became his front ‘man’, winning over a postwar world no longer enamored with fascists. After WWII, when Juan Perón became persona non grata, it was Evita who traveled to Spain, Italy and the rest of the Europe (but shunning the UK when the Queen would not personally meet with her), spreading the kind of PR reserved for American movie stars and paving the way for Argentina to secure badly needed loans. All the while handing out coins and bills to the poor. She was called the ‘South American Eleanor Roosevelt’ only Eleanor Roosevelt didn’t travel with a separate DC3 for her luggage. Or have 25,000 well-wishers standing outside her hospital for close to a year, or a million and a half citizens trooping in from every part of the country to show their respect as death approached.
The letters back and forth from Eva to her husband during the European trip were the stuff of romance. She clearly loved the man who arrested and imprisoned his enemies and who allegedly had a predilection for young girls—warts and all.
She delivered the ‘shirtless ones’, the workers who were the backbone of the Peronist Party, with huge, dramatically-staged gatherings that preceded the 1946 elections and saved her husband from defeat. And again in 1951, now bringing along half a million female votes as well, in the new age of women’s suffrage, despite being unable to stand (and often unable to speak), afflicted with the cancer that would take her life in 1952.
Contradictions: the woman who hosted Argentina’s politicos and her husband’s powerful associates at their home in her pajamas when she couldn’t be bothered to put on one of her many ‘scandalous’ gowns, who would offer to ‘open a few tins’ if they suggested dinner, was the same woman who worked tirelessly at her foundation all day, every day, until she was confined to a hospital bed.
And once Eva was gone, in spite of being embalmed in a glass-topped coffin that millions of followers would file by and reverently touch, Juan Perón’s magic too vanished. By 1955 he was exiled in a military coup after his country fell into financial ruin. Coincidence perhaps, but Perón’s enemies understood the power of Eva’s ghoulishly preserved eighty pound corpse, and went to great lengths to conceal it after her husband’s fall. That’s another story, of how Eva’s body was rediscovered many years later in a grave in Milan under the name ‘Maria Maggi’. Her enemies needed to get rid of her image but were afraid of destroying her body. She held that much power—even in death.
Had she lived, Eva Perón would have eventually been elected President of Argentina. She had already been put forward for vice president at a time when women went to the beauty parlor.
Eva was brought back from Italy to Argentina to lie in state in the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires (called the most exclusive neighborhood in Latin America). Anyone visiting today will continue to to see a line of people at her crypt.
The cult of Eva? Without a doubt. But an Argentine associate of mine told me of his parents, who read Eva’s inspirational quotes in their school textbooks as children, and still feel a sense of pride in the woman who put their country on the twentieth century world map.
How many women who once lived in a single room with their mother and four siblings, who worked as a child in the kitchens of the estancias, helping their family scrape by, end up being played by Madonna in films named after them?
January 10, 2018
Having only lived 33 years and been in the public spotlight for the last six, one woman has become in the 60+ years since her death the most iconic and polarizing woman in her country without even holding political office. Nicholas Fraser in his work, Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron, navigates between the fantastical versions of her life to find the real woman and put her into the context of the Argentina of her time before during and after her life.
Given the multitude of circumstances that Fraser faced to get an accurate portrait of Eva Peron, including her attempts to cover up her family’s illegitimacy, the fact that he was able to give a full account of her is noteworthy. Because of her short lifespan, the book was never going to be long but Fraser also had to contend with explaining the political atmosphere through Eva’s life especially after she became the First Lady of Argentina. Along with all of that, Fraser had to contend with the legendary versions of Eva’s life from both pro- and anti-Peronist sources. Yet the last 30 pages of the book are some of the most fascinating because it details the myth-creating journey that her corpse endured for almost 20 years through several governmental changes before finally being securely laid to rest in Buenos Aires.
Although the sensational accounts of Eva Peron’s life make for the ideal basis for musicals and films, the truth is just as fascinating. Nicholas Fraser’s biography of the most iconic Argentine political figure of the 20th-century is as close to the truth of her life as one is going to get and still understand the political atmosphere without getting bogged down in minutiae that would have enlarged the book and drifted away from the subject of the book.
Given the multitude of circumstances that Fraser faced to get an accurate portrait of Eva Peron, including her attempts to cover up her family’s illegitimacy, the fact that he was able to give a full account of her is noteworthy. Because of her short lifespan, the book was never going to be long but Fraser also had to contend with explaining the political atmosphere through Eva’s life especially after she became the First Lady of Argentina. Along with all of that, Fraser had to contend with the legendary versions of Eva’s life from both pro- and anti-Peronist sources. Yet the last 30 pages of the book are some of the most fascinating because it details the myth-creating journey that her corpse endured for almost 20 years through several governmental changes before finally being securely laid to rest in Buenos Aires.
Although the sensational accounts of Eva Peron’s life make for the ideal basis for musicals and films, the truth is just as fascinating. Nicholas Fraser’s biography of the most iconic Argentine political figure of the 20th-century is as close to the truth of her life as one is going to get and still understand the political atmosphere without getting bogged down in minutiae that would have enlarged the book and drifted away from the subject of the book.
August 10, 2009
I gave this book three stars because compared to everything I've ever read, I only "liked" it. As far as biographies go, however, it definitely deserves four stars. It was well-written, concise, and very interesting. The topics were well chosen--just enough to give us a clear picture of who Eva Perón really was, without overloading the reader with insignificant details. It also gives a very clear picture of Argentina's history during each point in Evita's life, so I learned not only about Evita, but quite a lot about Argentina's history, including some before and after Evita's death. The book seems to leave out a lot, but I think that is simply because so little is known about Evita. She also lived a very short life (dying of uterine cancer at 33)--though it was very eventful--so there is not as much to say as there would be for a full lifetime. It was a fast read for a biography (I read it in a few days, reading inconsistently), and it didn't drag on like some biographies tend to--definitely a good book.
March 15, 2015
A bit dry; parts of it flew by, others were a bit of a slog. Provides a lot of context about Argentine history and politics that makes what happened with Peron and Evita more understandable. Evita continues to fascinate. This does kind of make me want to read a book that's a bit harsher toward her, though, as I felt that some of the criticism was somewhat glossed over.
May 15, 2020
This book does an excellent job of trying to sort through the myths and provide context. Hard to do with a woman about whom so many contradictory stories are told.
Read
March 4, 2021"De volgende dag, na de inaugurele rede, gingen Perón en Evita voor het eerst met Guardo en zijn vrouw naar de presidentiële residentie, het Unzue-paleis. (...) Perón, Evita en de Guardo's dwaalden door de salons en gingen naar boven, waar Perón boven aan de grote, marmeren trap bleef staan en zich, vastgehouden door Guardo, over de trapleuning naar beneden liet glijden. Daarna gingen ze alle vier naar de slaapkamers. Evita haalden de spelden uit haar haren en maakte een vlecht. Ze trok haar japon uit en schoot Peróns pyjama aan en ging rustig op bed een sinaasappel zitten eten."
April 6, 2025
Really a 3.5. Not the best written biography I have read, but very informative. Having gone to the Evita museum in Argentina, the portrayal of Eva Perón in Buenos Aires is mythical. There is no mention of the corruption of her husband’s presidency that she helped to bring about. Very interesting read!!
July 11, 2025
Super super interesting! Eva Perón’s narrative is full of extremes, drama, and conflicting dualities. The biography is well written: comprehensive and readable but still rich in history and details.
Not surprisingly, very different from the movie/musical :/
Not surprisingly, very different from the movie/musical :/
January 3, 2020
A nicely thorough biography. Fraser does a good job putting Evita's life into the context of her times and provides enough (but not too much) detail. I'd definitely recommend this.
June 18, 2011
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.
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.
August 3, 2009
I enjoyed this book, even though it was pretty dry. Apparently, it's difficult to find information on Evita that is completely accurate, because so many people have different perspectives on her. I thought that she was an interesting woman who really was a devotee of her husband and who also believed in good works. My father was living in Argentina during Evita's reign and he told me much of what the book said. What's most interesting to me, however, was how some people thought that Evita was just a whore, while others believed that she should have been given sainthood. What a polarization of viewpoints! I also can't believe the stuff about her dead body - very strange, indeed.
Overall, I would recommend this book, because I came out knowing much more about Evita coming out of the read, then going in, so thumb's up for that.
Overall, I would recommend this book, because I came out knowing much more about Evita coming out of the read, then going in, so thumb's up for that.
April 16, 2007
A critical, thoroughly researched biography of Argentina's most passionately cherished, and despised persona, Evita (Eva Peron among other names).
The myths surrounding her life, death, and burial often overshadow the reality of her life. This book attempts to present an accurate account of her life based on documented facts and the recollections of her personal confidantes. Evita invoked worship, lust, love, as well as hatred from various social classes in Argentina during her short life (1919-1952) primarily due to her role as the First Lady of Argentina, Juan Peron's wife and biggest supporter.
The myths surrounding her life, death, and burial often overshadow the reality of her life. This book attempts to present an accurate account of her life based on documented facts and the recollections of her personal confidantes. Evita invoked worship, lust, love, as well as hatred from various social classes in Argentina during her short life (1919-1952) primarily due to her role as the First Lady of Argentina, Juan Peron's wife and biggest supporter.
April 8, 2013
Excellent and well researched biography of Eva Peron. It is cogently written and draws the reader in, as well as sustains attention - something I really like in non-fiction/history. The author puts Eva's life into the socio-political, historical context of the times in Argentina and beyond. Of particular value is his presentation of Eva Peron as an exquisitely complex human being. He shatters all of the greedy, one dimensional stereotypes to present a woman, who is multi-layered and fascinating. Highly recommend this book.
November 19, 2024
I read this biography of Eva Peron a long time ago and it was better then most of the biographies available in English but I felt in the end it failed to penetrate or understand Evita, Peronism or Argentina. If you want to begin to understand Evita's life and her long shadow in the history of Argentina I recommend reading the following books by Tomas Eloy Martinez:
'Santa Evita'
and
'The Peron Novel'
Only then would I suggest moving on to the works of other authors.
'Santa Evita'
and
'The Peron Novel'
Only then would I suggest moving on to the works of other authors.
August 17, 2010
This is a good account for anyone who is fascinated by this extraordinary historical figure who left such an impression on her country and beyond it. An honest attempt to understand Eva the woman, the context, and Argentine politics (NOT an easy task!)
September 2, 2013
Review to follow.
July 25, 2022
This book sets out to answer the question of whether Eva Peron was saint or a whore? It seems she was neither. Evita became powerful within the pro-Peronist trade unions, speaking on behalf of labor rights. She ran the Ministries of Labor and Health, founded and ran the charitable Eva Perón Foundation, championed women's suffrage in Argentina, and founded and ran the nation's female political party, the Female Peronist Party.
In 1951, Eva Perón announced her candidacy for the Peronist nomination for the office of Vice President of Argentina, receiving support from the Peronist political base, low-income and working-class Argentines who were referred to as descamisados or "shirtless ones". Opposition from the nation's military and bourgeoisie, together with her declining health forced her to withdraw her candidacy.
In 1952, shortly before her death from cancer at 33, Eva Perón was given the title of "Spiritual Leader of the Nation" by the Argentine Congress.She was given a state funeral upon her death.
In 1951, Eva Perón announced her candidacy for the Peronist nomination for the office of Vice President of Argentina, receiving support from the Peronist political base, low-income and working-class Argentines who were referred to as descamisados or "shirtless ones". Opposition from the nation's military and bourgeoisie, together with her declining health forced her to withdraw her candidacy.
In 1952, shortly before her death from cancer at 33, Eva Perón was given the title of "Spiritual Leader of the Nation" by the Argentine Congress.She was given a state funeral upon her death.
August 14, 2024
I never watched the movie and still don't understand why it was a musical but maybe that's what it takes to get some people interested in a story. I don't frequently read biographies but I learned about Argentina history by reading this and that definitely makes it worth. I was horrified by what was done with her body, just validates my belief in not being embalmed. I think the most interesting point of Evita's story is that anything government does can be twisted, was it good, did it actually help people or enable them, did it create resentment and separate people, did it make those who needed help slaves because they had to support the government to get the help, causing them to be indebted and not truly free. The book implies these issues but offers not solutions and answers as that isn't the point of the story and I appreciated that it just gave the facts.
November 23, 2022
I meant to give 2 and 1/2 stars but feeling a tad generous I gave it 3. While the story and everything related to Eva Maria Duarte de Peron has always fascinated me, this book is somewhat dry and mainly in my opinion, could have had a better editor. I found numerous errors in translation, which made it a little difficult to stay engaged in the reading. Another downer for me is the fact that the author included too much political material, much more that covering the persona life of Evita. On the other hand I liked the "neutral" position of the author on how the Argentinian people were divided in how they felt about her, some loathe her while some revered her. Not a great book but still good.
December 26, 2016
Ever since I saw an amateur production of the musical 'Evita', I knew I had to find out more about Eva Perón. And this book gave me so much information! Not just about her humble beginning's but also about Argentina as a country, it's political, social and cultural aspects. I can see why so many people are so intrigued by Evita because she is literally like no one else in the modern age. She had such a tragically short life but wow, did she know how to fill it! I would love to try and watch some of her films which weren't all that great since she was not considered a fantastic actress. But it would be interesting all the same. I'd love to visit Argentina in the future.
September 23, 2017
Fraser and Navarro did a great job in telling Evita's story, dispelling some myths and identifying messy politics surrounding Peronism. I read it in preparation for a Valencia production of the play Evita by Andrew Lloyd Weber learning that even the play is loaded with misinformation, least of which is including Che Guevara as a character, someone she could never have met in her short lifetime. It's easy reading. I read it while waiting for our electricity to come back on after Hurricane Irma pounded Orlando.
February 22, 2019
I don't know how many times I've seen the movie, and then just recently saw the stage show, and that got me wondering about the real Evita. This book was listed as one of the better biographies and I really enjoyed it. It did a good job of breaking down Evita's myth; it's interesting that for events that didn't occur that long ago in the grand scheme of history, there are so many different interpretations and contradictions due to the politics. I think this book really broke down the different rumors surrounding Evita's life and determined what was most likely the truth.
June 13, 2020
I read this book and then watched the Hollywood version of Eva’s life, Evita starring Madonna in the title role. I was actually surprised by how much of the book was part of the musical. Eva had a fascinating life—from bastard child to President of Argentina. The story was a bit uneven for me, sometimes dragging a little bit, but I found the description of her battle with cancer and her courage and determination during that time especially moving. She was something else. No wonder she is still revered by her people.
April 12, 2021
Came to this book with basically no knowledge. Enjoyed reading about the Europe trip in particular. However, the authors' claim, repeated several times, that President Peron had the ultimate control over Eva & did not let her do what she wanted...that may very well be true, but they don't ever take the time to present the supporting evidence of that. There were several other times that they wrote off other critics' interpretations/claims as "fantasies" when I thought they had enough merit to be worth investigating more.
July 28, 2023
Pretty good! I definitely learned a lot - both about the life of Evita (which wasn't what I expected) and about post WWII Argentina. It felt like a pretty nuanced take on a women who was no saint but who did get personally involved with doing good for the decamisados of Argentina in a way that maintained the dignity of those receiving.
Interesting about what happened to her body as well.
I think I'll need to read something else to actually understand Personism and its effects on Argentina today.
Interesting about what happened to her body as well.
I think I'll need to read something else to actually understand Personism and its effects on Argentina today.
June 28, 2019
**Read for the Goodreads Summer 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt 'Continental drift: Read a book set on every continent - South America')**
Evita has always been a historical figure that has fascinated me because her legacy is such a divisive one. People either love her or hate her so it can be hard to find information on her that isn't biased. I've seen and loved the musical but I wanted to learn more about the actual person. This book approached Evita with an unbiased lens and presents all known facts about her equally which I really appreciate in my nonfiction. The book tries hard to debunk common myths about Evita like the "fact" she was a prostitute which there is next to no evidence for. I learned a lot more about her and her role in the Peronist movement and how much of a driving force she was in politics during her short life. Even more fascinating is what happened to her body after her death which I knew nothing about and found extremely sad honestly. I will say however... this book read like the driest college textbook you can imagine. It was extremely informative but with no embellishment and definitely a bit hard to get through at times. If you can make it through that I do think it's a good resource on Evita that looks at both sides of her story and neither glorifies or villainizes her.
Evita has always been a historical figure that has fascinated me because her legacy is such a divisive one. People either love her or hate her so it can be hard to find information on her that isn't biased. I've seen and loved the musical but I wanted to learn more about the actual person. This book approached Evita with an unbiased lens and presents all known facts about her equally which I really appreciate in my nonfiction. The book tries hard to debunk common myths about Evita like the "fact" she was a prostitute which there is next to no evidence for. I learned a lot more about her and her role in the Peronist movement and how much of a driving force she was in politics during her short life. Even more fascinating is what happened to her body after her death which I knew nothing about and found extremely sad honestly. I will say however... this book read like the driest college textbook you can imagine. It was extremely informative but with no embellishment and definitely a bit hard to get through at times. If you can make it through that I do think it's a good resource on Evita that looks at both sides of her story and neither glorifies or villainizes her.
March 28, 2020
Wow this short book was a chore and a half to read - although the info was good and there were certain parts that were entertaining/interesting, I felt like way too much dry material and dates versus engaging writing. Elvira was an enigma but this book didn’t really do the story of her life much justice since I found myself daydreaming of better storylines the whole time reading it versus digesting the facts and wanting more.
February 5, 2022
This was very-well researched but it left me with more questions than answers. Eva Peron is such an interesting figure—I wanted more about every section of her life. This is especially true at the end, when it briefly follows the multi-year subterfuge around her embalming, hidden and later exhumed body, and re-instatement. This book, while precise and well-written, often felt like a thinly sketched outline rather than finished biography.
February 15, 2022
i’m usually not a fan of biographies but i appreciate this one for not only including vivid and relevant background information, but also including personal accounts and direct interactions people had with Evita. this book raised many questions for me about who Evita truly was and helped me understand the controversies that surrounded her and her work. i can 100% see why she’s an icon throughout latin america and the world, still have a lot of questions about her though 🧐
September 1, 2022
Muy interesante libro, muy bien escrito. Creo que logro con su objetivo de dessantificar a Evita, pintarla como a una persona, con todas las complicaciones y contradicciones que tenía. También me hizo entender más al peronismo y a todo este culto hacia evita. Al principio me jodía que le daba tanta atención a las fuentes, pero supongo que está bien para que quede claro que no se lo inventó. Muy bueno
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