"Don't cry for me Argentina"

I really like reading biographies and autobiographies. There's something so interesting about people's real lives and adventures or maybe I'm trying to compensate for what I feel is a slightly boring life by being a voyeur in the lives of others. At any rate, the biography I've been reading for the last little bit is Eva Peron by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz.

When I was in college one night my roommates and I went over to some guy's apartment (some guy a roommie had a crush on) to watch "Evita" when it first came out on video in 1998. That's probably the first and last thought I gave Eva Peron, until I saw this book in the biography stacks at the library.

Other than the fact that the book has been translated into English and is filled with complex language and ideas, it's been a fascinating read on many, many levels.

This woman started out as an illegitimate child and ended up as Argentina's First Lady. Yes, she was a social climber and knew how to exploit the right men to get what she wanted, then she helped push Juan Peron into the position where he could take over the country from his spot as the VP, then deposed VP. She started as a singer in ads then moved to movies, as the President's wife she eventually took over the main newspaper, starred in some movies and had her own foundations to give money to people.

She became obsessed with fashion and jewelry and took to actually biting her emeralds, diamonds and other precious stones. On her famous good will tour to Europe, she hung out with General Franco of Spain and his wife. Eva was so energetic that after she left, Mrs. Franco vowed never to host another out-of-towner.

I learned that Juan Peron has a lot to do with the amount of Nazis who got out of Europe and found safe haven in Argentina by sending them hundreds of visas and traveling cards pre-signed by the police and ready for anyone's name to be added. Peron also benefited from the three submarines of confiscated Jewish money and items that were secretly sent across the Atlantic and added to about eight banks in Argentina. Who knew?

What's fascinating is seeing how Evita's obsession with equalization of wealth made so many rich Argentines either leave or made them hide their riches elsewhere. The poor people did get some wealth but their standing in society never really improved as much as she promised them they would. In the process of her redistribution of wealth, Eva actually helped facilitate the economic ruin of what once was a very prosperous nation. (Argentina was actually lending money to France and Spain to help them in the World Wars).

Eva and Juan weren't really happy together-- they were both in love with the glamorous image of the other. They used each other to get what they really wanted out of life, but they did stick together and I guess you can't really knock that. There has to be something said for a "partner in crime" :)

While reading this book, I decided that I really wanted to watch "Evita" with Madonna and Antonio Banderas again, and luckily, the public library had it! The movie is so interesting, I mean, there are barely 10 words spoken through the whole thing, and everything else is sung. The lyrics are catchy and I've been humming "Don't cry for me Argentina" and "You must love me" for the past couple of days!