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Che Guevara: A Biography
This concise biography of the world famous revolutionary Che Guevara provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive account available of his remarkable life, tragic death, and enduring political legacy.
Che Guevara is one of the most controversial and iconic figures in recent memory and is still a hero to many. Che A Biography provides a balanced and engaging introduction to the famous revolutionary leader. Based on original research, the biography reveals how Che's early life prepared him for leadership in the Cuban Revolution. It also explores his revolutionary activities in Africa and Bolivia, as well as the circumstances surrounding his tragic death on October 9, 1967.
More than just a record of events, the book cogently examines Che's contributions to the theory and tactics of guerrilla warfare, his ideas about imperialism and socialism, and his enduring political legacy. It includes original information on the 1997 discovery of the hidden remains of his body and on the celebration of his life and ideals by the socialist regime in Cuba. And it looks at the reasons why leftist political leaders, movements, and governments in Latin America and the Caribbean still pay homage to this charismatic man.
Che Guevara is one of the most controversial and iconic figures in recent memory and is still a hero to many. Che A Biography provides a balanced and engaging introduction to the famous revolutionary leader. Based on original research, the biography reveals how Che's early life prepared him for leadership in the Cuban Revolution. It also explores his revolutionary activities in Africa and Bolivia, as well as the circumstances surrounding his tragic death on October 9, 1967.
More than just a record of events, the book cogently examines Che's contributions to the theory and tactics of guerrilla warfare, his ideas about imperialism and socialism, and his enduring political legacy. It includes original information on the 1997 discovery of the hidden remains of his body and on the celebration of his life and ideals by the socialist regime in Cuba. And it looks at the reasons why leftist political leaders, movements, and governments in Latin America and the Caribbean still pay homage to this charismatic man.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
8 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Richard L. Harris
23 books2 followersDr. Richard Harris is Professor Emeritus of Global Studies at California State University, Monterey Bay. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is currently an independent lecturer, researcher, consultant, writer and editor. He is the managing editor of the international Journal of Developing Societies (published by SAGE India) and a coordinating editor of the well known periodical Latin American Perspectives. He is the author and editor of many publications on politics, economics, history and revolutionary change in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 7, 2018
My favourite lines from this one...
To pass one's life in the jungle, ill clothed & starving, with a price on his head, confronting the military power of imperialism, and on top of that, sick with asthma, exposing himself to death by suffocation if the bullets did not cut him down first, a man, who could have lived regally, with money, amusements, friends, women & vices in any of the great cities of sin; THIS IS HEROISM! TRUE HEROISM!
No matter how confused or wrong his ideas might have been.
To pass one's life in the jungle, ill clothed & starving, with a price on his head, confronting the military power of imperialism, and on top of that, sick with asthma, exposing himself to death by suffocation if the bullets did not cut him down first, a man, who could have lived regally, with money, amusements, friends, women & vices in any of the great cities of sin; THIS IS HEROISM! TRUE HEROISM!
No matter how confused or wrong his ideas might have been.
March 11, 2018
‘‘Remember that the revolution is what is most important and that each one of us, alone, is worth nothing. Above all, always remain capable of feeling deeply whatever injustice is committed against anyone in any part of the world. This is the finest quality of a revolutionary’’ - Che.
Richard’s biography of the legendary Ernesto Che Guevara might be a summarised version but I enjoyed it regardless. Richard might have left out a few details or got a couple of dates mixed up but he still managed to capture the essentials. For big Che enthusiasts like myself, I'd advice you to read this book simultaneously with other books i.e. Jon Lee Anderson's A Revolutionary Life.
The last three chapter’s were particularly sobering because they highlight what Che’s has accomplished posthumously. I’ve always been a great admirer of Che from the time my dad told me about him. Reading this book was bittersweet because a man with so much passion shouldn't have gone out the way he did. He succeeded Cuba, failed in Congo and Bolivia yet his legacy still lives on today.
Even though the author captures the essence of Che in this summarised biography, I’d be hesitant to recommend fellow Che admirers' due to a few missed details. To add to that, I picked up some typo's which was a total turn off. For those not to bothered about typos or not interested in to much details (which sometimes are unnecessary, this book might be a good starting point for you.
Richard’s biography of the legendary Ernesto Che Guevara might be a summarised version but I enjoyed it regardless. Richard might have left out a few details or got a couple of dates mixed up but he still managed to capture the essentials. For big Che enthusiasts like myself, I'd advice you to read this book simultaneously with other books i.e. Jon Lee Anderson's A Revolutionary Life.
The last three chapter’s were particularly sobering because they highlight what Che’s has accomplished posthumously. I’ve always been a great admirer of Che from the time my dad told me about him. Reading this book was bittersweet because a man with so much passion shouldn't have gone out the way he did. He succeeded Cuba, failed in Congo and Bolivia yet his legacy still lives on today.
Even though the author captures the essence of Che in this summarised biography, I’d be hesitant to recommend fellow Che admirers' due to a few missed details. To add to that, I picked up some typo's which was a total turn off. For those not to bothered about typos or not interested in to much details (which sometimes are unnecessary, this book might be a good starting point for you.
January 27, 2013
A very good book to know about Che's life. A biography is as good as the person's life of whom it is written. I think there are very few who had an eventful life as Che.
Author covered the Che's final mission and the incidents after his death in detail (he was there in Bolivia immediately after Che's death for this research). The events that explain how Che's diary, his hands and face mask sent to Cuba were very interesting.
Also author's analysis of che's ideas about Marxism and his enduring legacy on Latin America politics were also worth read. All in all a very nicely written book.
Author covered the Che's final mission and the incidents after his death in detail (he was there in Bolivia immediately after Che's death for this research). The events that explain how Che's diary, his hands and face mask sent to Cuba were very interesting.
Also author's analysis of che's ideas about Marxism and his enduring legacy on Latin America politics were also worth read. All in all a very nicely written book.
August 27, 2024
I had a colleague in my internship days, who was a massive Che Guevara fan.
He was such Che fan that he had tattooed Che's face, on one of his arms.
I didn't understand it back then, but now that I have read his biography, I totally get where he is coming from.
ICONIC.
He was such Che fan that he had tattooed Che's face, on one of his arms.
I didn't understand it back then, but now that I have read his biography, I totally get where he is coming from.
ICONIC.
August 17, 2024
I liked the book, but at the same time, I was somewhat disappointed by it. The first part of the book, which discusses Che’s childhood in Argentina and his travels throughout Latin American countries, is excellent. It lays the groundwork for what eventually became his life’s mission. There are compelling anecdotes of him visiting leper colonies and constantly witnessing the worst of humanity. This is also where he begins to develop the idea of a unified socialist Latin American identity, which serves as the antithesis to the capitalistic USA identity.
Then the story moves on to Mexico, where he meets Fidel Castro and joins the Cuban revolution. This is where things get a little tricky for me. In the first half of the book, we are told anecdotes directly from the writings of Che Guevara, and I assumed this was because those were the only sources available. However, from this point on until his death, Guevara’s life and actions are well-documented. Despite this, the book continues to almost exclusively stick to Guevara’s own narrative, and at certain points, it almost feels like propaganda.
For example, one event I wanted to read about was the executions that took place in Cuba after Guevara and Castro came to power. This is a bloody chapter of history that has led some to label Guevara as a mass murderer. However, the book barely dedicates a single page to this topic before moving on. Instead, it spends considerable time on the specifics of guerrilla warfare. I would have expected a book claiming to be a biography of Che Guevara to delve deeper into some of the criticisms, especially since it was written decades after the events took place, allowing for a more detached and objective discussion of his strengths and flaws as a human being.
If this book were my only source of information about Guevara, I might be led to believe that the criticisms of him as a leader were uncalled for and borderline capitalistic propaganda, which is only partly true.
Then the story moves on to Mexico, where he meets Fidel Castro and joins the Cuban revolution. This is where things get a little tricky for me. In the first half of the book, we are told anecdotes directly from the writings of Che Guevara, and I assumed this was because those were the only sources available. However, from this point on until his death, Guevara’s life and actions are well-documented. Despite this, the book continues to almost exclusively stick to Guevara’s own narrative, and at certain points, it almost feels like propaganda.
For example, one event I wanted to read about was the executions that took place in Cuba after Guevara and Castro came to power. This is a bloody chapter of history that has led some to label Guevara as a mass murderer. However, the book barely dedicates a single page to this topic before moving on. Instead, it spends considerable time on the specifics of guerrilla warfare. I would have expected a book claiming to be a biography of Che Guevara to delve deeper into some of the criticisms, especially since it was written decades after the events took place, allowing for a more detached and objective discussion of his strengths and flaws as a human being.
If this book were my only source of information about Guevara, I might be led to believe that the criticisms of him as a leader were uncalled for and borderline capitalistic propaganda, which is only partly true.
January 15, 2020
This is a good book for people who have grown up seeing the iconic image of the guerilla revolutionary everywhere and hadn’t known much about him.
It provides in a lucid fashion a basic outline of Guevara’s life and also acts as a guide towards understanding the political and socio-economic picture of Latin America in 20th century which acted as an impetus for men like him to take up arms and wage wars, despite being heavily opposed and grossly outnumbered.
I don’t know how objective this book is as a work of non-fiction because it is very sympathetic towards the socialist regime in Cuba and critical of the involvement of United States in the continent. But it has introduced me to a topic on which I had little prior knowledge and made me curious to know more.
Rating - 3.5 stars
It provides in a lucid fashion a basic outline of Guevara’s life and also acts as a guide towards understanding the political and socio-economic picture of Latin America in 20th century which acted as an impetus for men like him to take up arms and wage wars, despite being heavily opposed and grossly outnumbered.
I don’t know how objective this book is as a work of non-fiction because it is very sympathetic towards the socialist regime in Cuba and critical of the involvement of United States in the continent. But it has introduced me to a topic on which I had little prior knowledge and made me curious to know more.
Rating - 3.5 stars
August 30, 2017
Parajalt ülevaatlik ja piisamatult põgus minu jaoks. Näiteks lause "Ja rutti sai temast kolonel Bayo parim õpilane.", mis jäigi nii üksikuks minus pahameeletormi. Mis mõttes? Ma tahan teada kuidas ta sai, mida ta tegi, kuidas ta treenis, kellega suhtles, mida endast arvas, mida teised tast arvasid, mis temast nii hea õpilase tegi ja nii edasi. Minu poolest võiks see raamat ka kolm korda nii paks olla ja ikka oleks huvitav. Aga õnneks on temast veel teoseid... Igatahes, võimas inimene.
January 2, 2024
Great read. This isn’t a book about Che’s revolutionary ideals, but about the man. Of course, it is impossible to talk about Che without describing the values he lived and died by. The author takes us through Che’s childhood through his death and his enduring legacy around the world and on Latin American politics in general. Must read for anyone interested in Che or, really, Latin America’s leftward shift over the past few decades.
February 26, 2020
Guevara esta presente! Che Vive!
April 21, 2022
Väga emotsionaalseks tegi, inspireeriv.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2023
كتاب لطيف وخفيف.. يعتبر مدخل لحياة جيفارا ومش بيقدم رؤية تحليلية لأحداث مهمة في حياته .. مجرد استعراض ليها.. والكاتب مصرح كدا في أول الكتاب
October 26, 2016
Being a bio-science student then, I always wondered who Che Guevara was, since my college days. I thought that he was some kind of music rock star or some Hollywood celebrity. I noticed his images on almost everything, right starting from t-shirts to blotches and magazines. His images were mostly used for commercial purposes and even I was gifted with a blotch with his image on by my closest friend.
(Photo courtesy: trcs.wikispace.com)
Through his biography by Richard L. Harris, Ph. D (Professor of California State University) I came to know that Che Guevara is a renowned revolutionary leader in Latin American countries. He was named Ernesto Guevara de la Serna and was born to an Argentine family on June 14, 1928. He completed his medical studies in Argentina and he was politically interested especially in anti-imperialism and was a pro-Marxist. In the middle of his medical studies, he expedited on motor bike with his friend Alberto Granado almost all around the Latin American countries. Thereafter, he published his note ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ and the diary led to the production of a film.
His motorcycle expedition around Latin America caught his attention on the injustices of the miners and common people, since then he got to be the anti-imperialist, which he desired to be one. He too had a love story to which he got married thrice and had about five children.
Che leading a prosaic lifestyle, had been successful in enforcing the famous Guerilla warfare with his friend Fidel Castro. Since then Che became an outstanding guerilla fighter and got promoted to a commandant, top ranked post in Guerilla warfare. The guerilla force has brought revolution in Cuba and Congo, where the force had gained some public support. Che had held some great posts such as president of Central bank of Cuba, Minister of Industry and the Head of Cuban Mission in Asia, Europe and South American countries. He even spoke at the United Nations General Assembly on the crisis in the Congo.
Che and his forces had a successful revolution in Congo and Cuba but his Guerilla forces failed in bringing the revolution in Bolivia. Later, while establishing his core camp in Bolivia, he was captured in 1967 and then executed by the Bolivian armies and authoritarians despite the US CIA protest against his execution. Bolivian government although had a tough time deciding the fate of Che, they somehow with some reasonable sense had Che shot in the prison. To the general public, the government revealed that Che died of the wounds that he acquired during the Guerilla warfare. So for around some decades, none knew about Che burial until the discovery of his burial remains in 1997 in Bolivia and thus the remains were returned to Cuba.
The Times Magazine included Che as the one of the most influential 100 people of the 20th century. Even to these days many leaders in Latin America and others pays homage and tribute to Che and some leaders has also adopted to follow Che’s anti-imperialist ideologies. Nowadays his images are found in almost all around the world with the impression on many surfaces. With his heroic looks and his historic actions, he still tends to be an inspiration to many younger generations around the world. He was an intrepid leader! Che is a great source of inspiration to me!
(Photo courtesy: trcs.wikispace.com)
Through his biography by Richard L. Harris, Ph. D (Professor of California State University) I came to know that Che Guevara is a renowned revolutionary leader in Latin American countries. He was named Ernesto Guevara de la Serna and was born to an Argentine family on June 14, 1928. He completed his medical studies in Argentina and he was politically interested especially in anti-imperialism and was a pro-Marxist. In the middle of his medical studies, he expedited on motor bike with his friend Alberto Granado almost all around the Latin American countries. Thereafter, he published his note ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ and the diary led to the production of a film.
His motorcycle expedition around Latin America caught his attention on the injustices of the miners and common people, since then he got to be the anti-imperialist, which he desired to be one. He too had a love story to which he got married thrice and had about five children.
Che leading a prosaic lifestyle, had been successful in enforcing the famous Guerilla warfare with his friend Fidel Castro. Since then Che became an outstanding guerilla fighter and got promoted to a commandant, top ranked post in Guerilla warfare. The guerilla force has brought revolution in Cuba and Congo, where the force had gained some public support. Che had held some great posts such as president of Central bank of Cuba, Minister of Industry and the Head of Cuban Mission in Asia, Europe and South American countries. He even spoke at the United Nations General Assembly on the crisis in the Congo.
Che and his forces had a successful revolution in Congo and Cuba but his Guerilla forces failed in bringing the revolution in Bolivia. Later, while establishing his core camp in Bolivia, he was captured in 1967 and then executed by the Bolivian armies and authoritarians despite the US CIA protest against his execution. Bolivian government although had a tough time deciding the fate of Che, they somehow with some reasonable sense had Che shot in the prison. To the general public, the government revealed that Che died of the wounds that he acquired during the Guerilla warfare. So for around some decades, none knew about Che burial until the discovery of his burial remains in 1997 in Bolivia and thus the remains were returned to Cuba.
The Times Magazine included Che as the one of the most influential 100 people of the 20th century. Even to these days many leaders in Latin America and others pays homage and tribute to Che and some leaders has also adopted to follow Che’s anti-imperialist ideologies. Nowadays his images are found in almost all around the world with the impression on many surfaces. With his heroic looks and his historic actions, he still tends to be an inspiration to many younger generations around the world. He was an intrepid leader! Che is a great source of inspiration to me!
June 3, 2017
Definitely a good read. Good for starters who want to know about Che. Book touches upon all important phases of Che's life. It will compel you to research more cause each phase of his life can be a book. Author has quoted many excerpts from interviews & other books written by Che, Che's both wives, Fidel etc.. so the data available in this book looks more authentic. Some details on death of Che looks missing in the book which is available in Wikipedia. Book is inspiring. Che's life itself is full of adventures which automatically makes this book interesting while reading those adventurous parts. Che lived a life which once can only dream of. It is very very difficult to follow his ideals in today's crooked world. He had that ability to deal with the world & live for his 'idea' ... which made him 'Che'. Go for the book.
October 3, 2015
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna is one of the most famous revolutionaries in world history and became a revolutionary icon. Posters of Che with beard, beret and piercing eyes appeared in almost every major city in the world. Why? This book will definitely provide number of answers for this question. Che's decision to resign all his important positions in the Cuban government, leave his wife and children in the year 1965 was extremely difficult and courageous. For Che, the duty of every revolutionary is to make revolution.
July 16, 2016
The book is incredibly riveting. The intrigue behind this man lovingly called Che gets gradually unfolded as the book progresses. You almost start believing that the life of Che is fiction and not real. We have grown up worshipping our freedom fighters who have given up life for the nation, but seldom you'll see a man like Che who gave his life for struggle which was not his own but the opressed people of other countries. A man completely dedicated for the mission of his life...you'll fall in love with Che after reading this book.
February 23, 2012
This is an average book for reader who does not know about Che, Family of Che is abruptly missing(About Che's mother and father), timeline not satisfactory. Still, it is an interesting book to read. thanks to Richard L. Harris
October 18, 2014
A complete findings about Che, from his birth to his un-ending revolution. Man of mission and vision. He carried his ideologies through out his life and to the world. One can read this book who is going to start exploring, who is Che, How he started etc.,
June 1, 2015
its a wonderful book to read its amazing how some one can go 0-100 real quick.how he accomplished his goals buy working hard having always a reson to keep on going helping his people
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews