Something Fierce -Toronto  Book Launch
Channel: Christian Pena
Date: 2011-06-06

A crowd of over 50+ people packed the Toronto Women's bookstore on Harbord St. for the book launch and reading of Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter. It is the first book from the playwright and actor Carmen Aguirre  . It is a incredible story  about fleeing the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile in 1973, coming to Canada, and going back in the late 1970s to join the underground resistance.

Many Chilean's who were affected by the coup in 1973 and who came to Canada in the 70'sand 80's were in attendance.  One of them was Magdalena Diaz a Chilean who's family fled the bloody coup in 1975 for a new life in Canada. She was very moved by the reading of the book and could not wait to be first in line to get two autograph copies of Carmen's book.  "One copy for my daughter who always wanted to know why they like others were living in exhile and then came to Canada. The other for her mother" ,as she becomes teary eyed after answering.

One of the questions asked of Carmen was about does she follow the current events in Chile now such as the current investigation into how President Salvador Allende and Pablo Neruda died in 1973 . As well if she had plans to return to do a book reading in Chile. " I have been following the news in Chile  however I don't think I could go back and do what I am doing here ".

The evening ended with Carmen's book signing  and speaking directly with the audience as well  as drinking of  Chilean wine and mote con huesillo.

Carmen Aguirre has written or co-written 18 plays, including The Refugee Hotel, which was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for best new play last year. Something Fierce is published by Douglas & McIntyre. 

Video , Photos and Story 
by Christian Peña

http://web.mac.com/christian.pena