Disappearing Acts: Spectacles of Gender and Nationalism in Argentina's Dirty War

Diana Taylor is a brilliant writer and an obviously informed expert on the Dirty War of Argentina (1963 - 1976), a writer who has composed a Doctoral Thesis approach to her well-informed information about this misunderstood atrocity that nearly destroyed Argentina. Yet sound as her thoughts are and intensely well documented though her theories prove to be, this book is not recommended as the first line of information about this subject. Taylor's premise involves theories as to how the Dirty War, or the atmosphere under the military juntas that replaced Peronism, are based on her observations as to how the public remained fearfully silent during this time of concentration camps, torture, atrocities, and most importantly the 'desaparecidos' (or disappearing ones) whose only voices were in the quiet marches of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. She informs us that the use of plays and spectacles attended by the Argentinians were in their own way a show of defiance to the manipulative military juntas. Performance, theatre, and poetry were the elected means of tacitly protesting the totalitarian military rule that choked this country until the fall of the juntas in the war over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands with Great Britain. While all of what Taylor has to say is interesting and novel and important, what is needed to gain the most from this heady book is more time spent educating the reader about the political and social history of Argentina. Though the "Dirty War' is at times referenced in conversations about South American politics, sadly most of what we as the general public know of what lead up to the military takeover of the government is what we glean from such feeble resources as the musical EVITA! Though Taylor attempts to reference the state of Peronism in contrasting the fall of Juan and Evita (and subsequently Isabelita) Peron as a period of hallowing the feminine influence of the 'weak' but loved leaders, she jumps too quickly into the theory of the military overthrow as a reaction to the feminine, the desecration of the female standard so toppled by the military in its abusive treatment of women and children. Where Taylor particularly shines (and there is MUCH to appreciate in this turgid, difficult to read book) is in her extended discussion of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. Here her theories all seem to gel. What is copiously discussed in the plays, poetry, and public spectacles (and Taylor is an experienced performance artist herself) is very important information, but draws excessive focus to the sedentary response to the Dirty War. This book is doubtless an important document about a too little understood period of Argentinean history and Taylor is careful to point out similarities of public response in the US and in other countries whose governments seem less and less For and Of and By the people. I would recommend starting with more basic book about this period in time to reap the rewards that Diana Taylor has to offer i

Taylor has created beautiful book out of a horrendous period in Argentina. She is a wonderful writer, and the book left me with a prfound sense of sadness and a desire to save the world. I am currently studying the Dirty War and I found this book has been the meat of my studies. She looks at the Dirty War at many different angles and ties them together masterfully. From its theatricality, its war against women, and what we, as Americans, must do as spectators to this Dirty War, Taylor urges that the spectators have the greatest role of all. Even twenty years after the war has ended, Taylor has created a book that forces Americans to evaluate our situation as spectators and contributors to the darkest period of Argentina's recent history. A must read...the book is easy to understand even if you know next to nothing about Argentina.