Fear in Chile: Lives Under Pinochet [Paperback]

Patricia Politzer (Author), Diane Wachtell (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001

First-person accounts of life in Pinochet's Chile—"the perfect epitaph to a violent dictatorship" (Library Journal). "Like a García Márquez novel that has suddenly, horrifyingly, come to real life" (New York Newsday), Fear in Chile is an extraordinary collection of first-person accounts of life under dictatorship. In the 1980s, shortly after Chile emerged from one of the century's most notorious reigns of terror, Chilean journalist Patricia Politzer interviewed figures including a revolutionary activist, a military leader loyal to General Augusto Pinochet, a bank clerk concerned with the status quo, the mother of one of the "disappeared," as well as a dozen other men and women from every political position and social stratum of Chilean life. The result is a broad, vivid, yet nonideological view of modern life under military rule, about which Ariel Dorfman writes, "I can think of no better introduction to my country." With the October 1998 arrest of General Pinochet in Great Britain and renewed world awareness of the horrendous crimes committed during his regime, Fear in Chile, updated with a new afterword by the author that considers the recent attempts to prosecute Pinochet for human-rights violations, offers a vivid portrait of Chile's Pinochet era.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Through these interviews with both pro-and anti-government Chileans, journalist Politzer conveys the widespread fear that has become endemic in this country. For another account, see Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Clandestine in Chile ( LJ 6/15/87).-- Ed. . She juxtaposes accounts of relentless killings, disappearances, and police brutality with exalting reports of economic prosperity under Pinochet's regime. Macabrely fascinating, this book is a timely release in light of the upcoming Chilean presidential election that was mandated by the 1988 plebiscite. The book may become the perfect epitaph to a violent dictatorship.
- Bibi Thompson, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A remarkable and moving document about life under military dictatorship. -- New York Newsday

Chileans had always thought 'it can't happen here'; Politzer, one of Chile's best opposition journalists, shows how it did. -- The New York Times

Every story has revealing, touching moments. -- Boston Globe

I can think of no better introduction to my country. -- Ariel Dorfman

Vivid.... Politzer's interviews weave a chronicle of sustained horror. -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

[T]he perfect epitaph to a violent dictatorship. -- Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The; Reprint edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565846613
• ISBN-13: 978-1565846616
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > History > Americas > South America > Chile

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a number of views, November 10, 2001

By 

Mnemosine "mnemosine" (Forest Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fear in Chile: Lives Under Pinochet (Paperback)

The journalist Patricia Politzer does a good job at showing that this is not a black and white piece of history, but many colors in between. People interviewed tell their story and explain why they have taken a given stand. Maybe because its isolated geography, Chile has a history that is not as polarized as other neighbouring countries. For example, a regular family would have relatives in the right, the center and the left at the same time, so most chileans knew for a fact that abuses were being made when they were being made for whatever reason. This book shows that sensibility, and has a place in history as well, having helped us chileans to exorcise our fears and get back into democracy.

4 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not accurate enough, October 3, 2001

By 

Ruopollo (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fear in Chile: Lives Under Pinochet (Paperback)

The book is Ok, but not quite there. There are interviews from Pro Pinochet people and familiars of the dissapeared. However, I would also have liked to see the opinion of a person whose relatives where killed by communist guerrillas. Also, at the end of the book she tries to portray Allende as the good and Pinochet as the bad guy. That shows she is one sided. Well, Politzer was the head of campaign of Chile's current socialist president Ricardo Lagos and she has her own views but I think she still has some emotions in her that don't let her see what happened in Chile with full neutrality.