Che Guevara: The definitive portrait of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating historical figures, from the critically-acclaimed New York Times journalist

Che Guevara A Revolutionary life is the biography of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna one of the leaders of the Cuban revolution who was born on 14th June 1928. Che was a name given to him during that conflict which he kept for the rest of his short but historically important life. A hero to many on the left, his slightly doctored (colour change of the star) and very famous photograph taken by Alberto Korda was on many a teenagers’ wall – including mine – when I was young. This book appears is a clear and detailed review of his life from his middle class but relatively poor upbringing in Argentina until his early death by Bolivian soldiers in cahoots with the CIA on 9th October 1967 and the eventual recovery of his body in July 1997. liked about the book The is written in a style that suggests the writer was trying their best to be factual and not include any political bias highlighting his good and bad traits. Overall Che comes across as a man who totally believed in the need to fight against US imperialism and to live as a revolutionary foregoing many luxuries even when the Cuban revolution was won such as refusing to take a government ministers’ salary but instead living on his much lower Cuban army Comandantes wage. He expected those who worked and fought with him to have the same ideals and was ruthlessly judgemental to those who acted in any way bourgeois. It also seems that, particularly in his later life, his military judgement was somewhat flawed due to his belief that the indigenous people in Congo and Bolivia would welcome his involvement and want to join in the fighting whereas in reality many informed the authorities where he was and local politicians promised help and then reneged on their promises due to infighting. I would liked to have read more of how he came to his views earlier in his life. According to the book he seemed to move from a carefree intellectual travelling around Latin America to full grown revolutionary in a very short space of time. In fact the book suggests that he almost fell into the Cuban revolution with little or no thought above reading many books by or about Marx, Lenin and other socialist writers. This is a substantial book at nearly 900 pages long but is the best biography I have read. Full of detail but written in a way that keeps the reader interested. Jon Lee Anderson has clearly spent a long time in research and makes many references to speaking with those who were involved with Guevaras’ life and cutting through the contradictions and political blurring of the truth. A book you must read if the life of this revolutionary is of any interest to you.

I came back from a holiday in Cuba with my interest piqued into the Cuban revolution, and wanted an unbiased account of the events and individuals involved. This proved quite hard to find, and I eventually settled on this momentous tome about the life of Che. At 700-odd pages it was a heavier read than my usual attempts at potted history but boy, was it worth it. It's so well written it reads like a good novel, an intriguing story with many larger than like characters. I was tempted to skip the chapters on his early life and get to the 'juicy bits', but I was soon engrossed and the formative years of the revolutionary go some way to explaining his later zeal. My only disappointment was that, having built the tension expertly on the build-up to the missile crisis, it was quickly dismissed with almost a one-liner outlining Kruschev's betrayal. Still, there's lots of other stuff about the crisis - read Bobby Kennedy's account if you're a bit skimpy on this. On the whole, an outstandingly researched, well-written book which will have you gripped throughout.

Excellent value for money and fast delivery.

This is a comprehensive biography of Che Guevara. It describes his family's background, his early life as a child, his student years, his becoming a revolutionary, and his political activism. Each aspect of Che's life is discussed in detail. In addition, the author seeks to offer analysis and explanation on Che's ideas. This is done in an effort to better understand the man's personality, as well as to situate him in the context of 20th century world affairs. It's a thorough study of Che's life (and death). The author seeks to adopt a broadly neutral standpoint ... which is, really, the only negative aspect of the work - as the narrative does, on occasion, become somewhat bland. Yet I enjoyed reading the book, and I learnt a lot about Che's life. I recommend this book for anyone interested in this important figure of modern history.

Firstly, i would say well done to Jon Lee Anderson for some fantastic research, he has certainly done his homework! This is a book on Ernesto Guevara's life from start to finish including every detail possible! I bought this book after watching the film "Che" I thought that it would be interesting to read about his life seeing as you see his face on t shirts, mugs, tattoos etc, so i was curious to what the fuss was about. When the book arrived it was a lot larger than i had expected but nonetheless i still gave it a go. I found it compelling throughout and at times it was hard going but it was exciting to wonder what would happen next. He is known as a controversial figure but from this unbiased book i took a liking to him, maybe not all of his views but he was willing to fight and die for what he believed in, but if you read this book and think he was a murderer then i will appropriate your opinion but not if you know little about him but judge him based on propaganda, which brings me to the question with all these people with tattoos and t shirts of him how many really know about him? Or was he just another fashion craze and everyone just jumped on the band wagon. The end of the book was very sad to be honest, when he was shot although the book did end on a positive note on Che's legacy and how he has inspired a generation. Finally i would recommend this book to anyone interested in his life, the South American revolutions or Fidel Castro's life, although warn you it is

The Legend of Che. From his birth to his death Jon Lee Anderson covers as much as humanely possible about this man, a man who has survived through generations by a simple photograph. But there is more behind this photograph which Anderson divulges and with incredible detail and objectiveness, in this behemoth book, dissects almost every part of his life giving almost a complete picture of the choices he made, lived and died for. The book gives us more than the mere universal fact he was a rebel, guerrilla, freedom fighter and to even some people a terrorist. This book displays a man with ideals, aspirations, principles and dreams. Which he was willing to give his own life for. In a few short words, I sincerely believe he was a man with good intentions for not only Latin America, but for humanity itself. He was no doubt an extremist, was hard headed and some can even argue (and I would concur) naive. Whether you despise, admire or even not know the man. I would strongly advise picking up this book as it will allow you to make your own opinion on him yourself. As such I finish this review with a quote from the man himself. "We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it." - Ernesto 'Che' Guevara

Who hasn't heard of Che Guevara? That's an easy one. How much do you know about him? Much harder! I, for one, knew virtually nothing, except for the usual tidbits that have gone the rounds. For that reason I thought it was time I filled in that rather obvious gap in my knowledge, and how better to do so than read this exceptional biography. I obviously can't presume to offer an informed assessment on the subject, but I can certainly confirm that you won't be left with too many unanswered questions after reading this book. Exhaustive would perhaps be an understatement, since the author seems to have investigated every nook and cranny about this obsessively driven character. In fact, so obsessive did he appear to be about the revolutionary life that at times it became quite oppressive to read. This is no fault of the author, whole prose is as clear and precise as it can be. It's just that Che was a character who never let up on his Marxist mission, even at the expense of those most near and dear to him. The politics of the period are extremely well captured in this book, and the insights into the communist world during the 60s are fascinating. This is not a light read - but for anyone with an interest in this very icon of world revolutionaries, not to mention the political backdrop that makes this book so rewarding - I can't imagine it will be superseded.

I think like everyone else, I had an idea of Che Guervera as some kind of cool revolutionary hero. This was based on a single split second in time that is the famous Alberto Korda photo. Che Guervera was slightly before my time, and so I knew only snippets of his life. Following a visit to Cuba, I decided that I should find out more and so decided on John Lee Anderson's biography. This was a good decision. It is probably the best biography I have read. Anderson provides a complete, definitive and in my opinion, un-biased account of Guevara. Everything has been thoroughly researched and all his sources accounted for. It also opened my eyes to what really went on between governments during the cold war period. It's a long read, over 800 pages, and did occasionally feel like heavy going, but it was worth it. It was an insight into a man who, because of the success in overthrowing the old regime in Cuba, believed he knew the formula to revolutionise the whole of South America and beyond. In the end, did I still think of him as a `cool hero'? Not at all, and nor did I really like him, or his ideals. The iconic image though, lives on. If you want to read a book on Che Guervera, this is the one. It's a definite recommend.

‘What a man can be, he must be’ Those were the words of American psychologist Abraham Maslow, a contemporary of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna-Lynch or, simply, ‘Che’. Little could have Maslow known then that a man would rise to global renown from the southernmost part of his own continent, trying to be what he could be – a revolutionary of the highest caliber. And in the process, that man would become one of the most dangerous enemies of Maslow’s homeland. Che is relevant to Maslow for another reason too. In transforming himself from a radical reformist of one region into a global revolutionary, Che upturned Maslow’s famed pyramid of human needs. For Che, his socialist cause, self-actualization through Revolution, was the most primitive need while food, sleep, love of friends and family, or even personal safety, did all become luxuries. Power and position did not even figure in his scheme of things. Such was his commitment that he spurned all imaginable comforts like an ascetic, missed the opportunity to be with his dying mother, gave up the pleasures of being a doting father, a loving husband. All because he wanted to uplift the downtrodden and destitute, no matter which part of the world they belonged to. There are people who adopt a cause and devote their lives to it. Then there are some who are born destined for the cause. Ernesto Che Guevara belongs to the latter category. His romantic passion towards his socialistic cause, the sheer determination with which he went about achieving it despite opposition from even closer quarters are all lessons for ages of young minds to come. This biography by Jon Lee Anderson is a comprehensive guide to understanding Che and his ways. Writing the biography of any famous figure, let alone that of someone as charismatic as Che Guevara, is a tough task. Be too overawed by the person, the book runs the risk of becoming a hagiography. Be too distanced, one ends up presenting a dry tome, listing the chronological order of events. It takes a rare mind to treat the subject with respect and at the same time present a faithful perspective. Jon Lee Anderson manages to pull it off. Che is presented as he was, playful as a youngster, one who did sow his wild oats, flirting around, having casual flings, playful and funny. His maturing as a rebel, growth in his social consciousness that was assisted in great measure by his motorcycle journeys across the continent, first by himself and then with his friend Alberto Granado have all been presented in great measure. Che’s gradual pull into the volatile political situation of Central America, his introduction to Fidel, their collaboration in the guerilla war to liberate Cuba, Che’s ascension to the role of Minister of Industries, his life during those calm (before the storm) days in Cuba, his eventual return to the field – literally – to spread revolution around the world, the debacle at Congo, and the tragic-but-glorious end at the nondescript Bolivian village of La Higuera are all laid out in such detail that one can only wonder whether Jon Lee Anderson was present in the times of Che, documenting history as it unraveled. Tremendous efforts and research have gone into this book. Che was a man so ahead of his time, just like every great human being that came before him. Like those great minds, political or otherwise, he had ideas that were too progressive to be grasped by his contemporaries. He was revered by many, feared by many more, loved by a lot of people, hated by equally so many, praised by multitude but understood completely by very few. Like the many heroes before him, he understood his strengths, realized his weaknesses, pushed his companions to emulate his strengths, strived to overcome his weaknesses, and led by being a shining example. Simply put, he practiced what he preached. It won’t be a blasphemy, though an irony, to compare Che with Jesus Christ. Both men were born ahead of their times, amidst people too narrow-minded to think about purposes greater than themselves, hoped that the people around them would see the worth of their arguments, wanted to make humans realize their potential and become better, but in the end were left to carry the cross for the sins of people that were too petty-minded and incapable of appreciating their worth. While one man tried to achieve mass deliverance through love and peace, the other chose to use bullets. In the end, betrayal by their own people took them both to their graves. One emerged from his grave three days later and went on to become a god. The other took three decades and has attained an almost equal mystical status amidst droves of youngsters, even amongst those that don’t even know his complete name. Whether Che’s methods were right or wrong is a topic for debate. But his place in the pages of human history, as a persona that future generations can look up to, is undisputed. This unbiased, authentic work by Jon Lee Anderson is an ultimate guide to that Heroic Guerilla’s life and times, as good as any autobiography that Che himself could have written. Must read, must own.

Love it and it's perfect!!!

Por la multiplicidad de los puntos de vista del biógrafo que investiga la acción política de su protagonista como un politólogo prolijo, y su emotividad como un novelista que fuese un discípulo de Proust moderado o puesto al día por Norman Mailer. La originalidad de "Che Guevara. A Revolutionary Life" es inescindible de la calidad del pensamiento político de JL Anderson, que no hace ninguna concesión a las mitologías despachadas desde La Habana, Moscú, Beijing o el Pop Art acerca de la vida, la obra y los proyectos de guerra revolucionaria o utopías más o menos autodestructivas o suicidas de este personaje que siempre escapa a sus biógrafos. En esta obra no se mitifica a los protagonistas de la tragedía que ha sido el guevarismo. Y sobre todo no se adula a las fieras de la Revolución Cubana que no tuvieron el poético privilegio de morir jóvenes como Lord Byron, a tiempo, como todos los héroes, en olor de santidad, como tantos elegidosdel calendario.

What an incredible job Anderson did with this biography. I particularly enjoyed how the author set the context of Guevara's upbringing in Argentina and through his peregrinations across South America. Afterwards Anderson manages to describe events and complex intricacies in a very dynamic and engaging way. It was also great to see that Anderson understood the complexity and context and didn't fall in clichés we tend to read, hear and see about Guevara's life, the Cuban revolution and communist regimes as a whole.

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