Paradise Found, and Lost: Odyssey in Chile

Eva’s story continues half a world away in this vivid sequel to "Eva’s War." After World War II, Eva and her husband Manfred are preparing to leave the scars and devastation of post-war Germany behind to begin an exciting new adventure in sunny, beautiful Chile. Even as Eva steps off the plane, she is completely captivated by her new home, its exotic residents and their lively, friendly culture; and she describes it all in vivid detail.

The Kruteins, arriving in Chile just as the seeds of revolution are sprouting, are inevitably swept up in Chile’s political turbulence. In the midst of this, Eva deals with losing her husband to far-away jobs, once again bearing the sole responsibility for her children. While working to provide for her family Eva’s first love, music, comes rushing back into her life. She becomes increasingly involved in the Chilean music scene, where she is recognized as being an exceptional musician. She brilliantly describes her work on the piano and on the stage, while bringing the enchanting musical shows to life.

Though living in the country of her dreams, Eva becomes aware of the suffering that goes on around her. With her eyes opened to the plight of Chile’s poor families, Eva becomes a fighter against poverty and social injustice. She strives to provide desolate mothers and children with healthcare and education. Suddenly, she is brutally confronted with the machismo that is so common in Chilean men. Eva and Manfred are disturbed to think that their daughters’ lives could be in danger if they become Chilean wives. Faced with this sad realization, the Kruteins are packing their bags yet again.

"Paradise Found, and Lost" offers a rare glimpse of Chilean culture through the eyes of a German immigrant. Eva holds nothing back! She is candid, shocking, entertaining and humorous as she describes her family's "Odyssey in Chile," which culminates in the sad certainty that they still have not found their home.

"A loving account of the two faces of Chile. A necessary reading, for those interested in social processes from the view of a 'foreigner,' who adopted the country as her own." --Juan Funez Gonzalez, School of Social Sciences, U of Calif, Irvine

"Eva Krutein's personal experiences provide a compelling and fascinating foundation from which to view Chilean culture in the broad sense. The impact of providing humanized images of people, many of whom later became victims, prevents them from ever being reduced to statistics. The author's dedicated humanism shines through, but the ideological dichotomies and political divisions are also humanized and made immediate in their expression by friends, who were also divided, even within families. The reader is carried along and shares the emotions of the author as the story unfolds, unveiling the tragic savagery of machismo and of oppressive poverty, of the class conflict it engendered, and of the consequences." --Roger Dittman, California State University, Fullerton, CA; National Coordinator, Federation of Scholars & Scientists

"A truly riveting story of suspense, drama and courage." --Bea Foster, President & Executive Director, California Peace Academy