| Booktalk
#1
It is the 1960's and the Dominican
Republic is ruled by a dictatorship. Twelve year old Anita watches as one
by one her aunts, uncles, cousins and sister leave for America. Slowly
she starts to understand what is happening as she finds out that her family
is involved with an underground movement to overthrow the dictator General
Trujillo. When their home is raided and the body of the assassinated dictator
is found in the trunk of one of the cars her father and brother are hauled
away. Quickly she and her mother must flee. Will they be rescued? Will
they make it to America and what will become of Anita's brother and father?
Find out by reading Before We Were Free. (Catherine Ryan, USC library school,
c_ryan16@yahoo.com)
Booktalk #2
Before We
Were Free is a simple story of a complex time about a family who struggles
for freedom from an evil dictatorship. Twelve year old Anita de la Torre
lives in the Dominican Republic in a compound with not only her parents
but with her entire extended family. Anita is experiencing the same
feelings and changes that young girls everywhere go through as she finds
herself facing her first crush and self esteem issues. On top of
all the pre-teen struggles however Anita has more serious problems brewing
as members of her family begin disappearing including her favorite cousin
Carla in the middle of a school day. Soon the secret police begin
coming around and searching the compound and although Anita records the
events in her diary she must erase the entries immediately for fear of
getting caught writing against the Trujillo regime that rules her home
in a dictatorship. Anita overhears relatives meeting often outside
her bedroom window making plans for a resistance. Anita’s mother
grows worried, and her sister is sent away when the evil Trujillo sends
her flowers. As things grow worse her father and favorite uncle are
arrested after the dictator is assassinated. Anita and her mother
are forced to go into hiding not knowing what has become of her beloved
older brother, or whether her father is still alive.
The author,
Julia Alvarez based this book on real events experienced by her cousin
in the Dominican Republic and Julia herself lived there until her family
fled when she was just 10 years old. This book will keep your interest
from start to finish and will leave you grateful that you live in a democratic
society where you are free to voice your opinions.
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