The Little School: Tales of Disappearance and Survival

This was definitely an interesting and easy to read story. The Little School is Alicia Partnoy's account of what she experienced, through a blindfold, when she was forced into one of the many government concentration camps in Argentina during the Dirty War. She writes about her personal experience, thoughts and the stories of some of her fellow political dissidents. Overall it was a good read and shed to light an event I knew little to nothing about. It wasn't too intense so the average reader should be able to get through it without nightmares. It is clear that she undoubtedly left out the gory details. The book went into little detail about anybody's dark feelings, torture sessions and practically nothing about the sexual assault they must have endured. Maybe this was to save the reader, maybe she felt like it would have given the torturers some sick glorification, or maybe she just wanted us to get to know the prisoners as people not just torture victims. In any case, it was definitely a personal yet light hearted way to gain some understanding of an important event in history that can always repeat itself.

In her book The Little School: Tales of Disappearance and Survival in Argentina Alicia Partnoy describes her imprisonment in the 1970's in Argentina. She was a political activist who did not like the way her government treated people of Argentina. Partnoy was determined to stand up against the government despite the risk of being arrested. Once captured and brought to the Little School of imprisonment by the military, Partnoy describes the daily torture inflicted on the activists. The captors blindfolded and tortured prisoners on daily basis. Prisoners were molested and nearly starved. The conditions she describes under which they lived were horrible and difficult to tolerate. Despite the oppression, Partnoy showed that she is a survivor by standing up to her captors and always trying to make the life of her fellow prisoners better. She cared very deeply about her cause and even more about others who were mistreated. As her friends were taken away and killed, Partnoy remained determined to keep their memory alive by wring this book and including a written case about others who vanished to ensure they are remembered. Her story is very personal and she allows a reader into her most difficult moments for which I am very grateful. This book was a required reading for a woman's studies class and I am grateful that I had an opportunity to read it.

THE LITTLE SCHOOL is a beautiful brilliant book in heartbreaking and heartening ways. The vicious brutality and sadism of the military regime and the guards is not detailed---mostly elided (she leaves that to the newspapers)---in a generous, clear focus on her fellow prisoners and their inner dignity. A book of striking humanity at its extremes.I think she's a great writer overlooked in the hype of American literary bizness because her story of epic, unceasing bravery in the face of terror and death doesn't correspond to stereotypes of macho and military heroism conveyed by industrial culture to the youth. Instead, her various books speak of a woman's unbreakable integrity. Partnoy's unassuming storytelling delivers a perspective on this too-common modern atrocity that is new and rare, and whose astonishing generosity of spirit is fitting tribute to her peers who did not survive.

The idea that there are people still missing, having "disappeared" in Argentina, is a horrifying thought. Alicia Partnoy writes of her kidnapping in Argentina and her ordeal at a prisoner camp. Her time in prison detailed in this story makes you see her as such a hero not only to those she tried to help during her stay, but for herself as well. She was able to keep herself strong so that she could survive the ordeal as well as help everyone around her. She made sure on a daily basis to do things that reminded her that she was alive and functioning and she could survive. She truly is an amazing woman to have gone through this ordeal and her story is certainly worth reading.

Another crushing account -- very understated -- about the "disappeared" in Argentina. So many were barely out of childhood when they were swept up in the Dirty War. The political context is missing here, but not the humanity of the prisoners or the bankruptcy of dictatorship

The Little School was definitely a tale of survival. Partnoy in a way illustrates this novel more than writes it because she describes things with so much detail and really paints a picture in your head. Her stories are fascinating in both heart breaking and inspiring. The other survivors who went through this experience with her are described as very special people who she cared deeply about, even at times more than herself. The book is only about 130 pages with each chapter being extremely short so it only takes a couple hours to actually read the entire book and its an easy read at that. I enjoyed this book and think it should be considered as one of the better tales of survival amongst the many out there.

The book came in a good condition. Very interesting and informative book. I recommend everyone to read this.

The Little School tells the story of Alicia Partnoy, a "disappeared" women detained, blindfolded, and tortured in Argentina. Not knowing the whereabouts of her (also) kidnapped daughter and husband, she talks about all the other prisoners in the Little School and the guards who ensured the prisoners were beaten and tortured without reason. She shows compassion to the prisoners in this very bleak setting. This is truly a tale of survival. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent Package was prompt and book (a present for my wife) went down very well Would recommend highly

Great, deep, touching book. It is an amazing experience to read it. Highly recommended!