Che: The Diaries of Ernesto Che Guevara

by Ernesto Che Guevara

The book of the new, two-part biopic on Che Guevara starring Benicio Del Toro as the legendary revolutionary.

Director Steven Soderbergh has based his two Che movies (Che: The Argentine and Che: Guerrilla) on two classic diaries written by Che Guevara: Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War (an account of the guerrilla movement led by Fidel Castro that overthrew the Batista dictatorship in 1959) and Bolivian Diary (Che’s famous, unfinished diary discovered in his backpack when he was captured and killed in Bolivia in October 1967).

Che: Guerrilla Diaries includes a selection from each book, showing the young Argentine’s evolution from the wide-eyed medical student of the Motorcycle Diaries-era to the revolutionary hero the world knows as Che.

Features:

Key excerpts from Che’s Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War, his final Bolivian Diary, his fiery address to the UN General Assembly, and interviews with US journalist Lisa Howard and CBS’ Face the Nation during his visit to New York in December 1964. Che’s first encounter with Fidel Castro in Mexico, when he immediately commits himself to join the guerrilla expedition to Cuba. The dramatic moment when Che has to decide his future either as a doctor or a guerrilla fighter, symbolized by the choice of two backpacks: one with medicine, the other with ammunition. Che’s poetic letter to his parents before he sets out on the fateful Bolivia mission. Maps, chronology, and a useful glossary. Thirty-six pages of original photos from the period and stills from the movie. Movie tie-in cover. Blurbs by Benicio del Toro and Steven Soderbergh.

Also published in English this season is Che: Guerrilla Diaries, 978-1-920888-93-0.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Philosophy, Politics, Biography

First published January 20, 1970

About the author

Ernesto "Che" Guevara, commonly known as El Che or simply Che, was a Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, since his death Guevara's stylized visage has become an ubiquitous countercultural symbol and global icon within popular culture.

His belief in the necessity of world revolution to advance the interests of the poor prompted his involvement in Guatemala's social reforms under President Jacobo Arbenz, whose eventual CIA-assisted overthrow solidified Guevara's radical ideology. Later, while living in Mexico City, he met Raúl and Fidel Castro, joined their movement, and travelled to Cuba with the intention of overthrowing the U.S.-backed Batista regime. Guevara soon rose to prominence among the insurgents, was promoted to second-in-command, and played a pivotal role in the successful two year guerrilla campaign that topled the Cuban government.

After serving in a number of key roles in the new government, Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to foment revolution abroad, first unsuccessfully in Congo-Kinshasa and later in Bolivia, where he was captured by CIA-assisted Bolivian forces and executed.

Guevara remains both a revered and reviled historical figure, polarized in the collective imagination in a multitude of biographies, memoirs, essays, documentaries, songs, and films. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, while an Alberto Korda photograph of him entitled "Guerrillero Heroico," was declared "the most famous photograph in the world" by the Maryland Institute of Art.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From IMDb:
In 1956, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and a band of Castro-led Cuban exiles mobilize an army to topple the regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
In 1967, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara leads a small partisan army to fight an ill-fated revolutionary guerrilla war in Bolivia, South America.

A movie was made based on this book Che: Part One (2008), directed by Steven Soderbergh, with Julia Ormond, Benicio Del Toro, Oscar Isaac.

Che: Part Two (2008) with Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Benicio Del Toro

[Nadeem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Che was born and brought up in Argentina. In the final years of his studies, he went on a road trip with a friend across South America and came across abject poverty among farming community in the continent. He saw a great deal of injustice to peasants who were getting exploited by a few in the ruling class. During this time, he formed a very strong opinion against the governing class of people and Marxism appeared to him as a solution for a governance model. He began to lean heavily towards communism as it promised equal rights, for common folks like peasants, same as the privileged ones. He believed everybody should have the same law, code and rights to choose a decent independent life.

What really stands out in the book is the determination and focus of Che Guevara to keep fighting, despite extreme physical conditions and struggle they had to go through against much bigger forces. I was moved by the events in their initial journey to infiltrate Cuban border once they landed at the beach from Mexico. They got ambushed after a painful journey via sea, Che got wounded and could not walk let alone run. He dragged himself while hiding from military and kept going through the fields. I find it difficult to imagine such a situation where everything seems against you but you still possess such strong faith in a purpose that you drag yourself inch-by-inch before you can stand and then run into nowhere. There were times when they were extremely thirsty and hungry for days while they covered hundreds of kilometers on foot. If Che did not have his ruthless spirit, his team would have dissolved and their dreams would die thousands of kilometers away from their destination. Che Guevara knew his purpose in life and he was prepared to live his last breath for it. I find his inspirational story almost superhuman.

'If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine' - Che.

[Jer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a personal insight into the famous communist guerilla of the twentieth century. We see the transition of him from doctor to warrior from the ground. Honest perspective on the brutal realities of war and the events that led to the overthrow of the Bautista regime.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems to be very much overhyped in several respects. As it is selections from a diary, with almost no notes or explanations, names and incidents are thrown at the reader. If you have a great knowledge of Che's life already, much of this will make sense. If you don't...well. And there is very little poetry or deep humanizing insight, nor is there much political commentary. The diaries depict the struggle to bring down Batista at a fairly granular level, and then the failed sad expedition in Bolivia.
By contrast, the UN speech is a great read. Che could really write a fiery and inspiring criticism of US foreign policy at the time, and one understands the blurbs on the book from Mandela, Alice Walker, etc.
But the UN speech is terribly one-sided. It ignores Soviet behavior of domination and invasion, and indeed, praises the Soviets.
The diaries also contain tragic indications of the dictatorship that was to quickly emerge under Castro. The non-Castro opponents of Batista are seldom mentioned, seldom praised when mentioned, and subtle references to their postwar fates are included. They just refuse to "understand" the leadership role of Fidel in the revolution. In other words, the emerging cult of personality. Che, in a revealing bit, apologizes to Fidel for not immediately understanding that Fidel was always right.
Also, much of the words are in hindsight quite damning of the Cuban revolution. The UN Speech indicates the ambition of Cuba to acquire industrial might. Indeed, the chronology informs us that Che was briefly in charge of industry, and then the national bank (with what qualifications??) The current state of Cuba, a nation of 11 million with almost no industrial base, indicates the failure of these vast, and expensive efforts.
Still, if you are traveling to Cuba, this book is worth reading, to see the pure revolutionary romantic who assisted Fidel's rise to power.

[Joe Bambridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purchased with my last remaining ‘convertíbles’ from Havana airport. A very elementary collection of Che’s writing, mostly focusing on his time in the Sierra Maestra and the Bolivian campaign. I hope to read more of his political writings.

[Todd Benschneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a unique character in history, seems fairly unbiased in its spin on the facts but definitely paints him in a negative light toward the end.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Che lives on in all of those who have revolution in their hearts. A timeless hero and a true soldier. Long live Che and long live Cuba

[Rwitobhash Pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know the revolutionary, then its a must read.

[Comrade Zod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Che always gets a 5, but whoever compiled this made it a 4. Also, as someone who's not well read, many parts required my own research to understand. I would've loved some footnotes to support me.

[Mir Shahzad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Che's everyday diary shows how struggle he did, what plans he strategized, and how everyday he spent in the forests, mountains, and seas, rivers and grounds.

[Ghazanfer Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Jahde]

Revolutionary writing is some of the most beautiful.

[Tanja (Litteraturhesten)]

Bolivia