The Little School is Alicia Partnoy's memoir of her time in a secret political detention facility in Argentina. During the 1970s, Jorge Rafael Videla was Argentinian dictator after securing the position through a series of assassinations. He was formerly a leader in a violent military junta. Bringing a strict and aggressive perspective on leadership, Videla ran the country like a mob boss. The most dramatic of his crimes against his people were theses "schools" where political prisoners were taken without any warning or record of their disappearance.
When Alicia finds herself in one of these camps, she is so thoroughly confused. She hadn't been committing any political crimes or taking any unadvised actions, although in college she participated in some activism supporting the Peron family, who were Videla's enemies. Alicia's baby is ripped from her arms and sent somewhere else. She's personally subjected to isolation, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and starvation. Others in the camp experience severe torture and worse violations. All are forbidden to speak. For three months Alicia lives in this awful unknown space, able to catch only glimpses of the world around her through a tiny tear in her blindfold which she was required to wear always.
After being transferred to a state prison, Alicia remains incarcerated for two more years after her initial capture. She finally reunites with her family, and baby Ruth, but she's changed. She records in explicit detail, with lengthy indices, everything she can remember of her experience in the secret facility. During Videla's later trials, Alicia's journals are used as evidence against him, partially leading to his conviction.
