They Won't Take Me Alive: Salvadoran Women in Struggle for National Liberation

by Claribel Alegría

English (translation)Original Spanish

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Clara Isabel Alegría Vides was a Nicaraguan poet, essayist, novelist, and journalist who is a major voice in the literature of contemporary Central America. She writes under the pseudonym Claribel Alegría. She was awarded the 2006 Neustadt International Prize for Literature.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Sandy Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entender las causas de porque se generó el conflicto en nuestro país es sumamente importante debido a tantas vidas humanas que cedieron ante tanta crueldad y otras que murieron en la lucha para un pueblo libre. Se podría decir que gozamos de libertad aunque todavía estamos a la espera de una explicación por parte del estado. Muchas cosas no han salido a la luz pero considero que el rol de Eugenia es un homenaje a la mujer salvadoreña, dispuesta a defender sus ideales con mucho sacrificio y en su constante participación en la construcción de la sociedad.

Esta frase me encanto muchísimo (Si tan solo todos pudieran tener este principio en la vida):
"Hay una tendencia en mi a ver lo humano, las cualidades personales. Son lecciones permanentes mucho más que la concepción intelectual o económica, eso también es importante, necesario incluso, pero sin lo humano carece de valor".
Un buen libro, me lleno de nostalgia, alimento mi necesidad de involucrarme más en la historia de mi país, me trasporto a la época donde mi profesor de sociales en 9no grado decía "No tenemos memoria histórica, olvidamos de dónde venimos" y sobre todo, alimento mi espíritu de mujer salvadoreña que desempeña su rol igualitario al del hombre.

[Philippa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably 2.5 stars. I do know a lot more about the El Salvador people's struggles against colonisers and corporate capitalists, so I feel more informed, but otherwise I found this a disappointing read.
It's about a freedom fighter, one might call her, Eugenia, who dies in the course of the revolutionary struggle. (No spoiler alert - it's on the back cover.)
Her life and personality is stitched together by way of interview extracts from her husband, family members and friends, but the effect is distancing; too much showing and not enough telling. All rather second hand and we're being told about the action rather than being immersed in it.
Writing it as a novel from Eugenia's point of view would have given more scope for drama and storytelling, for engaging the reader. It also might have allowed this author - a Salvadorean poet - more creative leeway.
Mercifully it's quite a short book.

[Seven Pesos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting rid of a bunch of old books I've read over the years.

History / biography of a female guerrilla fighter from El Salvador. Taken from the back cover: "The accounts mark the progress of Eugenia, 'a comrade always in the process of development' in all aspects of her life, as political leader, soldier, revolutionary, proletarian, mother and wife." That more or less sums up the entire book. I don't have much else to say.

[José Zuleta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesante panorama sobre el rol de la mujer en la lucha armada en El Salvador. El libro se compone de testimonios conmovedores que se entretejen y complementan para presentarnos una historia de amor no idilica sino real, material e histórica que traspasa las fronteras de la muerte.