“Apassionate,lyrical,tough-mindedaccountofanextraordinarylifeinart,revolution,andlove.It’sabooktorelish,toreadandre-read.Unforgettable.“--SalmonRushdieAnelectrifyingmemoirfromtheacclaimedNicaraguanwriter(“Awonderfullyfreeandoriginaltalent“--HaroldPinter)andcentralfigureintheSandinistaRevolution.Untilherearlytwenties,GiocondaBelliinhabitedanupper-classcocoon:shelteredfromthepovertyinManaguainaworldofcountryclubsanddebutanteballs;educatedabroad;earlymarriageandmotherhood.Butin1970,everythingchanged.Hergrowingdissatisfactionwithdomesticlife,andablossomingawarenessofthesocialinequitiesinNicaragua,ledhertojointheSandinistas,thenaburgeoningbutstillhiddenorganization.Shewouldbeinvolvedwiththemoverthenexttwentyyearsatthehighest,andoftenmostdangerous,levels.Hermemoirisbotharevelatoryinsider’saccountoftheRevolutionandavivid,intenselyfeltstoryaboutcomingofageunderextraordinarycircumstances.Belliwriteswithbothstrikinglyricismandcandoraboutherpersonalandpoliticallives:aboutherfamily,herchildren,themeninherlife;aboutherpoetry;aboutthedichotomiesbetweenherbirth-rightandthelifeshechoseforherself;aboutthefailuresandtriumphsoftheRevolution;abouthercurrentlife,dividedbetweenCalifornia(withherAmericanhusbandandtheirchildren)andNicaragua;andabouthersustainedandsustainingpassionforhercountryanditspeople.
