The Country Under My Skin: A Memoir of Love and War

This is an amazing autobiography which combines a range of genres, including an 'inside' history of the Sandinista Revolution, a remarkable travel memoir, and (real-life) love story (stories). A woman from the Nicaraguan aristocracy, Belli nonetheless feels a deep empathy with the oppressed and dispossessed in her country, together with a revulsion against the (starkly portrayed) brutality of the Somoza regime, and this leads her to join the Sandinistas. As she never plays a military role, accounts of the guerrilla war are second-hand and the true horror of war doesn't really come across, although she portrays well the fear and paranoia of clandestine collaboration. Belli herself senses that her social status gives her some degree of protection, but she nonetheless risks her life and eventually has to go into exile, where she continues to work with the Sandinistas until their victory in 1979.For all her sympathy with the cause, Belli is nonetheless astutely critical of the frequent incompetence and lack of sound judgment of some of the Sandinista leaders. The same with their flaws: her analysis of the acquired narcissism of certain Sandinistas upon their acquisition of power, for example, is particularly subtle and acute. As a woman, she also recounts her experiences of the patriarchal sexual conquest mentality of many (male) left-wing figures. The (Panamanian) General Torrijos (particularly) but also Daniel Ortega and even Fidel Castro come in for some pretty scathing treatment in this respect. So far as the treatment of women by (supposedly) left-wing regimes is concerned, her experiences are clearly disappointing. Whether in the Soviet Union, Algeria, or Nicaragua itself, 'liberation' for the people clearly does not entail liberation for women. When interviewed by some (female) Algerian journalists who ask if women who participated in the revolution will be cast aside afterwards (as in Algeria) she defends the Sandinistas, but she also notes how Nicaraguan women guerrillas who'd fought for liberation were only allowed to hold administrative posts shortly after the Sandinistas took power. On the personal side, Belli is disarmingly emotionally honest about her love affairs and her own weaknesses, and she shows a keen awareness of how she as a woman is being positioned by the man in her life and the relationship dynamics.However critical Belli might be about Sandinista Nicaragua, which she sees as eventually controlled by a hegemony dominated insiduously by the Ortega brothers, she at the same time introduces many Sandinistas characterised by noble intentions, humanistic idealism and bravery. A further character in this book (everpresent) is Nicaragua itself, which the author describes evocatively with great love and as a land which both needed and deserved liberation from the yoke of Somoza's US-backed dictatorship.In post-revolutionary Nicaragua, the figure who parallels Somoza is US President Reagan - brutal, corrupt and reactionary - subjecting the fledgling Sandinista Nicaragua to economic embargo, armed attack and CIA sabotage. However, it is this part of the book which is the most dissatisfying. The Sandinista-'Contra' war is weakly covered - almost a nebulous backdrop - largely due to Belli having no direct contact with it. Love interests dominate, first a relationship with a Sandinista leader and then another with an North American journalist.There are various points in the book where Belli expresses her feeling of not being fully accepted by the Sandinista movement on account of her class. And certainly her empathy with the common people is emotionally abstract (if that's not a contradiction of terms): there is no earthy human contact with the campesinos nor does Belli suffer privation or brutality. For all her pride that her daughters grow to share her capacity (in Che's words) to "deeply feel any injustice committed against any human being anywhere in the world", Belli can never get 'under the skin' of the campesin@. And, in a country with 70% illiteracy (which the Sandinistas bravely tried to alleviate) the chances of a campesin@ writing a memoir of such intriguing beauty as this are not high.

This is an autobiography. Gioconda Belli was born in the 1950's into a wealthy family in Nicaragua, although not part of the ruling class benefitting under the 40+ year dictatorship of the Somoza family.Even as a child she is struck by the gross inequality of the rich and poor. She rebels against the limited roles determined for her in life as a woman. In her early 20's she becomes involved in the illegal Sandinsta movement, risking her life to support the dream of a Nicaragua free from the dictatorship and corruption of Somoza as well as the ideology of equality and basic services for the poor.It is really exciting as a personal account of her turbulent love life, risks to help the rebel movement, exile from her country, the murder, torture and death of friends in the struggle, trying to juggle motherhood and family responsibilities, whilst also a subjective commentary on political movements of the time and the individuals involved in them. She met Fidel Castro and the Panamanian leader. She personally knew all the Sandinistan leaders including Daniel Ortega who was to be the country's President twice. It is also fascinating to see how her standing and viewpoint was affected by the fact she is female.Ultimately she falls in love and marries an American at a time when the American's were funding a war against Nicaragua. This presents all of it's own sets of problems.It would make a brilliant movie - action, politics, romance, rebellion, family trauma and it is all true.Having spent a year living in Nicaragua, this was a fantastic book to read as suddenly it threw a new light on some of the current day to day political interactions and players. It is a real page turner and you don't need to know anything about Nicaragua to enjoy it.I gave 'The Death of Ben Linder' 5 stars, but 'The Country Under My Skin' is much better. If you are only likely to read one book about Nicaragua let it be this one.

Amazing woman. Through her story we learn about Nicaragua, resitance, love, hope.

I was recommended this book by a friend and would happily recommend it to anyone. It's an autobiography of Gioconda Belli, an extraordinary Nicaraguan woman. Not only does it follow the political side of her life, following her years as a guerrilla fighter and many years she was forced to spend in exile. It also shows her personal life as a mother and as a woman. As I am too young to remember the struggle in South America I found it fascinating to read about how they overthrew the dictatorship and tried to fight off US control.The book is beautifully written and a real page turner. Even if you have no interest in the political side of it I would still recommend it as an interesting read following a woman's personal struggles in love, war and motherhood.

I personally haven't read a full book in a while, but as soon as I started to read this book I was hooked. I really enjoyed the perspective of this book, with the main charter not only being a woman but also of that high class, it gives a unique perspective to the Sandanistas. I also really enjoyed how descriptive Gioconda Belli is and her writing style doesn't leave any details out and provides a new uncensored rawness to topics most people won't even talk about let alone write. Her poet skills can be seen throughout the book as she reveals all aspects of her life, even the parts that paint her in a bad light. Her honesty is refreshing and I couldn't help but continue to be intrigued by the story. Her life almost seemed movie-like in all of her experiences, so it's amazing to me that it is based on her real life. Following her life from her first marriage, the birth of her children, her affairs, her aid in the revolution, all the way to her finding the love of her life and adopting a child from Nicaragua was a roller coaster of emotions, but fully worth the read.

This book truly WOWed me. I can't say enough about it. The author has such an incredible talent for writing. Her writing is so beautiful and really pulls you into her world and her emotions/thoughts. Having Nicaraguan heritage, I loved this book because it wasn't a textbook history on the Nicaraguan Revolution. It was a real story from someone who had lived and breathed it. Gioconda isn't perfect and that is made clear throughout the book. Her privilege also makes her a complicated figure. But, that is reality. People are messy, people make mistakes and that's part of the tragedy of the revolution. She gave up privileges and fought for what she believed was right. It's a work of art that left me dazzled and made me realize I hadn't read many things that hit me the way this book did.

I thought I had long ago written a review for this great memoir. After all I used Belli's understanding of the struggle for a character in my novel.I apologize for not posting this sooner, especially since I read it in just a few days as it was full os suspense and steadily brought the reader to the understanding of a Revolutionary woman who was soon made to feel her services weren't needed anymore once the Revolution had happened. Perhaps that explains why the changes didn't last?Belli's story is one of great courage, fortitude and understanding. Belli, obviously loved her people very much, since she was one the the few who could have escaped but didn't.Belli is talented, not only as a poet, but also as a storyteller. I sincerely hope we get some more prose from this amazing woman and writer.Thank you for writing such a beautiful and eye-opening book.

The title of this book is misleading: For one, it doesn't mention the fact that it's about Nicaragua, which is a central point. Yet I did like this book very much. It probably helped that I read it while visiting Nicaragua. It helped me understand the country and gave me a flavor for recent history. The writing is fluid and carries you from page to page as you wonder what will happen next in Belli's fascinating life.Some might say that she's preoccupied with herself and her cause, but I found her explanations of why she became as involved as she did to be compelling. I also loved her take on how her gender influenced her involvement in the war, and how she paved new paths as a woman with power and revolutionary tendencies.The name dropping is fun, her descriptions lovely, and the story a good read. I'd recommend the book to anyone who is interested in this period of history, as well as to those who want to learn more about the Sandinistas, Nicaragua's recent past, and the balance of power in this revolution that made the front pages of many world newspapers.

A novel about incredible enthusiasm, honesty, and what it's like to be so immersed in something bigger and better than yourself. I was overwhelmed with such zeal for Nicaragua's cause, her life, and the entire endeavor. I really appreciated how open she was about herself, the Sandinistas, the Contras, and everyone else involved. She had her own interests, but she understood the historical context so well that she could see the other side's point of view. At the end, I felt sad for her small country against a giant, but also proud of them for their effort and dignity. I appreciate the rawness of the book itself. This is a book that I will remember for a long time.