![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.recoletacemetery.com\/images\/zigiotto.jpg\" "\\"Diego")
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Interview with Diego Zigiotto<\/p>\n
Guidebook for the city of the dead by Marcelo Metayer<\/a><\/p>\n The author of “1001 Curiosities of Recoleta Cemetery” assures that “there are a lot of people inside that no one knows about” & that he has more than enough material for a sequel.<\/em><\/p>\n Diego Zigiotto, a Buenos Aires journalist with a degree in tourism, is also a specialized guide in the city. In 2007 he published “1001 Curiosities of Buenos Aires” & his experience with the most famous burial site in Argentina led him to write his most recent work, “1001 Curiosities of Recoleta Cemetery.”<\/p>\n You’re a newspaper journalist & a tour guide. How do the two professions fit together?<\/strong><\/p>\n By chance. I was already a reporter, I worked six years in radio, later I quit & began working in tourism. When I started to study tourism (*note<\/span>: Argentina, like most countries in Europe, has a degree program for tourism), a professor told me: “Since you’re a reporter, you should be a tour guide.” It wasn’t a bad idea, so I began studying to be a guide. I created new routes, one of them being “Curiosities of Buenos Aires.” People told me, “Why don’t you give us something written? It’s a lot of info.” So I began writing. When I had a little over 200 pages, I presented it to a publisher (Cuatro Vientos), put up some cash, family & friends chipped in, & “1001 Curiosities of Buenos Aires” came out. Later the publishing house Norma called where it was re-edited & both careers came together.<\/p>\n How did you start with the book about the cemetery?<\/strong><\/p>\n I’d always liked this cemetery & for the past two years I’ve worked as a voluntary guide. There were already two books about the cemetery, that of (Oscar) L\u00f3pez Mato with good photos & information but with errors, & that of Mar\u00eda Rosa Lojo that has some 10 or 12 historical short stories which can’t be used as factual. So I said, I’m going to do something different. There are a lot of people here that no one knows about, but the publisher told me “lighten up a bit because the book will be like a dictionary.”<\/p>\n But there are still a lot of names, over 200…<\/strong><\/p>\n A bit over 300. And several weren’t included. There were 450 & we cut it down to 315. We removed many because they said we couldn’t justify including them all.<\/p>\n You propose that people send you information to do an update or even a sequel to this book.<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes. In fact, we began to take out information & they said, “it’s good for a second book.” Later I thought, who would buy it? I still gather info anyway. Lots of specifics were taken away from different entries… how do you put in two pages everything that these people did?<\/p>\n What’s very interesting about the book is that besides historical summaries, there are many anecdotes.<\/strong><\/p>\n I found them by immersing myself in libraries. I would have liked to have had more time for that… for full-time research & further investigation.<\/p>\n What kind of response have you had?<\/strong><\/p>\n Those who have written me liked the book. A 16-year old kid told me, “I read your book by mistake. I bought it thinking it was urban myths\/stories, but I loved it.” A descendant of the Garc\u00eda Mansilla family who has a blog with a lot of their personal history wrote a post praising the book.<\/p>\n How many people worked with you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Three people. A friend who works in a library searched for biographies for me, & two women from the cemetery researched information in burial records when I couldn’t come myself.<\/p>\n Of the stories which were removed, which do you regret not including?<\/strong><\/p>\n We argued a lot about those of Zully Moreno & Luis C\u00e9sar Amadori. When people take a guided tour & you tell them Zully Moreno is here, they’re interested because they know her & they’ve seen her onscreen. Another that was deleted is the Club Hotel of Sierra de la Ventana.<\/p>\n What is your next project?<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m not writing anything now. One project was to do “1001 Curiosities of Argentina,” but it seems a bit ambitious.<\/p>\n And the other cemeteries of Buenos Aires?<\/strong><\/p>\n Another project was Chacarita<\/a>, but it wouldn’t sell as well & it doesn’t have as much glamour. Still, there are tons of people (Gardel, Bonavena, the Actors & SADAIC<\/a> pantheons) to fill two books.<\/p>\n ————————————<\/p>\n Original article in Spanish not available online. The lead photograph was taken by Marcelo Metayer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Zigiotto mentioned to Marcelo during the interview that he came across this blog several times while looking for information about Recoleta Cemetery, & he was surprised information about the cemetery was available in English. I checked his bibliography for a mention of AfterLife \u2014it’s currently for sale at the cemetery gate for 58 pesos<\/strong>\u2014 but no credit is given. That’s too bad.<\/p>\n Update:<\/strong> A revised digital edition was made available in 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Interview with Diego Zigiotto Guidebook for the city of the dead by Marcelo Metayer The author of “1001 Curiosities of Recoleta Cemetery” assures that “there…<\/p>\n![\"Pagina](\"http:\/\/www.recoletacemetery.com\/images\/marnota21julio.jpg\" "\\"Pagina")
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