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Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War
"Reflects the life of an extraordinary and important man."-Library Journal
"When Che Guevara cast his lot with Marxism and revolution the world of letters suffered an incalculable loss. Guevara is a brilliant, thoughtful writer. He is lucid, candid and revealing."-The Cleveland Press
The dramatic art and acute perceptiveness evident in Che Guevara's early diaries fully blossom in this highly readable and often entertaining account of the guerrilla war that led to the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Reminiscences is one of the two books for Steven Soderbergh's biopic (along with The Bolivian Diary).
Feature chapters describe Che's first meeting with Fidel in Mexico, the mythical moment when Che had to choose between a knapsack of medicine and another of ammunition, and the anguished story of the murdered puppy.
This new, thoroughly revised edition includes for the first time corrections made to the diary by Che himself and a preface by his daughter Aleida about how her parents met in the midst of the revolutionary war.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
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About the author
Ernesto Che Guevara
531 books2,196 followersErnesto "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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
February 4, 2014
This is a wonderful account of battles on the ground during the Cuban revolution, but it can be very hard to follow at times. The book features lots of different names and places which can leave the reader at times quite confused.
Although this book lacks a considerable amount of stand out anecdotes, there is a story about a puppy that will tug on the heart strings and a few tales of individual acts of bravery that you will have no choice but to admire.
This is not a book that encourages you to judge Che Guevara, as it focuses far more on his companeros than it does on him. It does however offer an interesting, if occasionally complicated eye witness account of what happened in the Sierra Maestra.
If you are looking for a book on the politics of the revolution or a measure of the man, you are probably better off digging into Jon Lee Andersons book 'Che: A Revolutionary Life'. However, if you want to read an account of the day to day activities and struggles of a Cuban revolution (including, a guerilla 'pop up' cigar factory), warts and all,then this is a bit of history that you shouldn't ignore or pass by.
Although this book lacks a considerable amount of stand out anecdotes, there is a story about a puppy that will tug on the heart strings and a few tales of individual acts of bravery that you will have no choice but to admire.
This is not a book that encourages you to judge Che Guevara, as it focuses far more on his companeros than it does on him. It does however offer an interesting, if occasionally complicated eye witness account of what happened in the Sierra Maestra.
If you are looking for a book on the politics of the revolution or a measure of the man, you are probably better off digging into Jon Lee Andersons book 'Che: A Revolutionary Life'. However, if you want to read an account of the day to day activities and struggles of a Cuban revolution (including, a guerilla 'pop up' cigar factory), warts and all,then this is a bit of history that you shouldn't ignore or pass by.
February 16, 2026
bunch of guys walking in the jungle
October 4, 2018
Amazing read. I learned a lot about military and guerilla strategy, the day to day life of the revolutionaries in the woods of the Sierra Maestra and the Cuban peasant life of the late 50s. I was captivated by the hopes and dreams of a whole generation of young men and women, and very touched by the numerous tales of bravery and falling soldiers... must read!
February 3, 2015
-¿La distancia da perspectiva y no la cercanía?.-
Género. Ensayo.
Lo que nos cuenta. Revisión de la parte más bélica de la Revolución Cubana desde el ojo y la pluma de uno de sus protagonistas más (re)conocidos. Trabajo publicado originalmente como artículos a finales de los años cincuenta y comienzos de los sesenta en diferentes periódicos y que ha tenido varias ediciones (y revisiones) a lo largo de los años. Esta edición en concreto incluye las revisiones que dejó el propio autor sobre su obra, de puño y letra, en uno de los primeros ejemplares.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ensayo.
Lo que nos cuenta. Revisión de la parte más bélica de la Revolución Cubana desde el ojo y la pluma de uno de sus protagonistas más (re)conocidos. Trabajo publicado originalmente como artículos a finales de los años cincuenta y comienzos de los sesenta en diferentes periódicos y que ha tenido varias ediciones (y revisiones) a lo largo de los años. Esta edición en concreto incluye las revisiones que dejó el propio autor sobre su obra, de puño y letra, en uno de los primeros ejemplares.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
August 11, 2011
I think this is probably necessary reading for anyone who ever cared about political change. You don't have to agree with him, but it's fascinating - to a point.
There's a lot of reciting of facts - names mostly - and while it's actually quite touching that he cared enough to want the names of his fellow revolutionaries to be remembered, it doesn't make it a page-turner.
Mostly, it was one of those books which didn't change my mind so much as reassure me that I hold the opinions I hold for good reasons and bring some new clarity to it.
But to be honest? Watch Che: Part One and miss all the dull bits.
There's a lot of reciting of facts - names mostly - and while it's actually quite touching that he cared enough to want the names of his fellow revolutionaries to be remembered, it doesn't make it a page-turner.
Mostly, it was one of those books which didn't change my mind so much as reassure me that I hold the opinions I hold for good reasons and bring some new clarity to it.
But to be honest? Watch Che: Part One and miss all the dull bits.
April 10, 2026
genuinely astonishing how they managed to even survive the first bit of this, let alone win. it's a real honour to know that things are always shitshows
September 25, 2022
I have a lot of respect for the way this is written. The accounts in the Cuban Revolutionary War felt very descriptive and I enjoyed it more than I expected. On the downside, there was so many names thrown into the story that it becomes a gigantic headache at some moments.
May 5, 2026
"In order to die with dignity, company is not necessary." - Fidel Castro
The 26 July Movement set into motion a chain of events that would forever change history, that would defy the odds and ultimately claim socialist victory for the people of Cuba. When the young revolutionaries set sail on the Granma from Mexico to Cuba at the end of 1956, they were men who yearned for a free and democratic Cuban society and who steadfastly believed in their vision. Standing up to a U.S.-backed regime, with might on its side, the Cuban War revolutionaries were sometimes only 12 men strong, a true story of David and Goliath, a story of determination, resilience and love.
When Fidel Castro said (translated of course from Spanish), "In 1956 we will be free or we will be martyrs", he shined a light on the will of the people, on the cause of freedom against the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship. Among those who joined the Cuban revolutionary struggle of course was a young Argentinian, named Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Originally the doctor of the group, Che later became known as Comandante, known for his revolutionary discipline, his intellectual curiosity, his perfection of tactics of guerilla warfare and his bravery. Che was a man who risked his life many a time for a cause, sometimes a bit recklessly, and who saw the Cuban cause as a universal one, against imperialism and colonialism and for the dignity of humankind.
Che's reminiscences, a collection of articles first published elsewhere, reads like a novel, oftentimes unbelievable and incredibly cinematic, from stories of Fidel, then hunted by counterrevolutionary forces, fooling the opposition into thinking he was a military leader fighting on their side to baptisms of fire and a story of a murdered puppy.
That the Cuban revolutionaries gained peasant supporters and fighters, both men and women; defected U.S. and Cuban military soldiers; and went from being a force of a dozen men into a force capable of outmaneuvering a powerful U.S.-backed regime is a feat that we should never forget.
What might Cuba have been if not for the subsequent U.S. blockade? If not for the decades of assaults, including assassination attempts on Castro, by the U.S. regime? Today, more than 57 years on from the revolution, Cuba is in crisis, still threatened - perhaps now more than ever - by U.S. hegemony. Whatever may happen, the story of the revolution is the story that is to be remembered, that must be remembered. Che's writings are a great introductory to this period, if not the greatest. He writes with clarity and often brutal honesty and humor. On one hand, what a loss to the world that he was murdered by a U.S. CIA-backed group before ever reaching his 40th year of life. On the other hand, what a full and incredible life, a revolutionary in the truest sense, revered not only by the Cuban people but by the peoples of the entire world for his bravery, his commitment, his principles and his deep sense of revolutionary love. Who among us can, in only 39 years on this Earth, say they have achieved even a fraction of the greatness of one Ernesto Che Guevara?
The 26 July Movement set into motion a chain of events that would forever change history, that would defy the odds and ultimately claim socialist victory for the people of Cuba. When the young revolutionaries set sail on the Granma from Mexico to Cuba at the end of 1956, they were men who yearned for a free and democratic Cuban society and who steadfastly believed in their vision. Standing up to a U.S.-backed regime, with might on its side, the Cuban War revolutionaries were sometimes only 12 men strong, a true story of David and Goliath, a story of determination, resilience and love.
When Fidel Castro said (translated of course from Spanish), "In 1956 we will be free or we will be martyrs", he shined a light on the will of the people, on the cause of freedom against the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship. Among those who joined the Cuban revolutionary struggle of course was a young Argentinian, named Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Originally the doctor of the group, Che later became known as Comandante, known for his revolutionary discipline, his intellectual curiosity, his perfection of tactics of guerilla warfare and his bravery. Che was a man who risked his life many a time for a cause, sometimes a bit recklessly, and who saw the Cuban cause as a universal one, against imperialism and colonialism and for the dignity of humankind.
Che's reminiscences, a collection of articles first published elsewhere, reads like a novel, oftentimes unbelievable and incredibly cinematic, from stories of Fidel, then hunted by counterrevolutionary forces, fooling the opposition into thinking he was a military leader fighting on their side to baptisms of fire and a story of a murdered puppy.
That the Cuban revolutionaries gained peasant supporters and fighters, both men and women; defected U.S. and Cuban military soldiers; and went from being a force of a dozen men into a force capable of outmaneuvering a powerful U.S.-backed regime is a feat that we should never forget.
What might Cuba have been if not for the subsequent U.S. blockade? If not for the decades of assaults, including assassination attempts on Castro, by the U.S. regime? Today, more than 57 years on from the revolution, Cuba is in crisis, still threatened - perhaps now more than ever - by U.S. hegemony. Whatever may happen, the story of the revolution is the story that is to be remembered, that must be remembered. Che's writings are a great introductory to this period, if not the greatest. He writes with clarity and often brutal honesty and humor. On one hand, what a loss to the world that he was murdered by a U.S. CIA-backed group before ever reaching his 40th year of life. On the other hand, what a full and incredible life, a revolutionary in the truest sense, revered not only by the Cuban people but by the peoples of the entire world for his bravery, his commitment, his principles and his deep sense of revolutionary love. Who among us can, in only 39 years on this Earth, say they have achieved even a fraction of the greatness of one Ernesto Che Guevara?
October 13, 2022
Ottima lettura per chi è interessato a conoscere le strategie dei ribelli durante la rivoluzione cubana. Più che sulla figura di Che Guevara, si concentra sui rapporti e i mezzi dei ribelli. Alle volte può risultare impegnativo e abbastanza faticoso da leggere, in particolar modo a causa delle innumerevoli citazioni a luoghi e persone sconosciuti.
December 7, 2020
The fighting journal entries were good, well described. I skimmed names halfway through, just too many to keep track of.
Favorite chapter was Camilo, very moving writing style. Extra star.
Favorite chapter was Camilo, very moving writing style. Extra star.
March 6, 2026
El paso del Che por la Sierra Maestra y la victoria en Santa Clara. Un ejemplo de la lucha por la liberación de un pueblo que le era ajeno. Un ejemplo de lo que es el internacionalismo.
"En cualquier selva del mundo, en cualquier calle.
Por cualquier hombre del mundo, por cualquier casa."
La era está pariendo un corazón - Silvio Rodríguez
¡Hasta la victoria siempre!
"En cualquier selva del mundo, en cualquier calle.
Por cualquier hombre del mundo, por cualquier casa."
La era está pariendo un corazón - Silvio Rodríguez
¡Hasta la victoria siempre!
March 17, 2015
Full review at The Pluviophile Reader: http://wp.me/p3VFNP-8l
3/5 stars.
Paperback, 320 pages.
Read from February 07 to 16, 2015.
I picked up this gem while I was actually in Cuba back in January of this year. It was my first trip to Cuba and I realized how little I knew about this fascinating little country with its big and expansive history. Thankfully there wasn't a shortage of propaganda where I was staying. If I had more money and space in my suitcase I would have purchased quite a few more books.
Che is a remarkable individual and his dedication to Cuba and to the cause of communism is almost next to nothing. Che comes across as extremely intelligent and very articulate. His memoirs and diaries are published everywhere which probably makes him one of the most exposed politicians around. Don't get me wrong, the Cuban government is pretty good at giving the leaders of their communist revolution a great reputation, and they have to. The history of Cuba is a rocky one, so the insurgence of this particular revolution was necessary for its time. From the Spanish to the British, and then the US, someone else was always taking advantage of Cuba and its people suffered for it. In 1933, Sergeant Fulgencio Batista threw a coup to overthrow Gerado Machado, a Cuban dictator known for his vicious rule. Sadly, after this coup, little changed under Batista's rule. It was in 1953 when Fidel Castro made his first attempt to revolt against Batista's regime. It would be after this attack that a young Argentinian doctor named Ernesto Guevara would join the cause and assist in Cuba's revolution and liberation.
"Che" is a form of colloquial Argentinian Spanish slang used in a vocative sense as "friend". Che is the famous nickname given to Ernesto as a joke and term of endearment based on his heritage from his fellow Cuban comrades.
This book is a personal description of Che's experiences during this pivotal revolution. Che spares no details with how difficult it was living in the forest for months at time and the sad deaths and sacrifices endured by all, especially the peasants of Cuba, who were initially afraid to assist or join the cause. His recollection is impressive as he remembers many of the names of some of the small time peasants who were essential in helping with the revolution that might have other wise been forgotten. He also details the specifics of those who betrayed the cause. Some he speaks of with remorse or honor and others with absolute distaste and resentment. It was exciting to see how big the small group of rebels became over such a short period of time . In 1959 the rebels send a group of 9000 strong into Havana, forcing Batista to flee, starting the beginning of a new era for Cuba, one that would bring positive change to the country and the lives of its people for the better.
From my own impressions of Cuba, some aspects of communism are no longer serving its people. Don't read me wrong, I'm not saying that they need to replace their system with American capitalism but there are definitely areas that need improvement. The locals don't have immediate access to some of the best food or clothes because they are too expensive and some people are still not allowed to leave specific regions of Cuba. Tourists get the best of everything, while they don't. I was asked twice, discreetly, while I was there if I had any clothes or items that I was willing to part with. It made me pretty sad but if I wasn't there as a tourist their economy and the people there would have even less. With tensions currently being mended between America and Cuba, as much as I don't want this quaint country to become Americanized, it will eventually mean improvements for the locals.
Overall, a good description of the events and people that changed Cuba to make it the country that it is today.
3/5 stars.
Paperback, 320 pages.
Read from February 07 to 16, 2015.
I picked up this gem while I was actually in Cuba back in January of this year. It was my first trip to Cuba and I realized how little I knew about this fascinating little country with its big and expansive history. Thankfully there wasn't a shortage of propaganda where I was staying. If I had more money and space in my suitcase I would have purchased quite a few more books.
Che is a remarkable individual and his dedication to Cuba and to the cause of communism is almost next to nothing. Che comes across as extremely intelligent and very articulate. His memoirs and diaries are published everywhere which probably makes him one of the most exposed politicians around. Don't get me wrong, the Cuban government is pretty good at giving the leaders of their communist revolution a great reputation, and they have to. The history of Cuba is a rocky one, so the insurgence of this particular revolution was necessary for its time. From the Spanish to the British, and then the US, someone else was always taking advantage of Cuba and its people suffered for it. In 1933, Sergeant Fulgencio Batista threw a coup to overthrow Gerado Machado, a Cuban dictator known for his vicious rule. Sadly, after this coup, little changed under Batista's rule. It was in 1953 when Fidel Castro made his first attempt to revolt against Batista's regime. It would be after this attack that a young Argentinian doctor named Ernesto Guevara would join the cause and assist in Cuba's revolution and liberation.
"Che" is a form of colloquial Argentinian Spanish slang used in a vocative sense as "friend". Che is the famous nickname given to Ernesto as a joke and term of endearment based on his heritage from his fellow Cuban comrades.
This book is a personal description of Che's experiences during this pivotal revolution. Che spares no details with how difficult it was living in the forest for months at time and the sad deaths and sacrifices endured by all, especially the peasants of Cuba, who were initially afraid to assist or join the cause. His recollection is impressive as he remembers many of the names of some of the small time peasants who were essential in helping with the revolution that might have other wise been forgotten. He also details the specifics of those who betrayed the cause. Some he speaks of with remorse or honor and others with absolute distaste and resentment. It was exciting to see how big the small group of rebels became over such a short period of time . In 1959 the rebels send a group of 9000 strong into Havana, forcing Batista to flee, starting the beginning of a new era for Cuba, one that would bring positive change to the country and the lives of its people for the better.
From my own impressions of Cuba, some aspects of communism are no longer serving its people. Don't read me wrong, I'm not saying that they need to replace their system with American capitalism but there are definitely areas that need improvement. The locals don't have immediate access to some of the best food or clothes because they are too expensive and some people are still not allowed to leave specific regions of Cuba. Tourists get the best of everything, while they don't. I was asked twice, discreetly, while I was there if I had any clothes or items that I was willing to part with. It made me pretty sad but if I wasn't there as a tourist their economy and the people there would have even less. With tensions currently being mended between America and Cuba, as much as I don't want this quaint country to become Americanized, it will eventually mean improvements for the locals.
Overall, a good description of the events and people that changed Cuba to make it the country that it is today.
August 1, 2024
Very raw and frank but I found it a bit too dry
September 20, 2022
This book is a great look into the real life of soldiers during their every day struggle to liberate their country. This book was a true eye-opener for me during my younger years, and I still enjoy reading it today. I read this book at for the first time at a very pivotal point in my life. I had been incarcerated three times in three years for sentences that went from 90 days to a year in jail. I was out on the streets making my living through ways that put my life in jeopardy every night, and I did not care. I found this book one day while looking for something to read at the book store, and when I got home, I started reading it right away.
For the next few nights, I stayed up all night reading this book. I would read some of his passages over and over again. I realized that I had truly been living my life selfishly. At this point, I began to read books like I had never read them before. I still had my nightly business in the streets. However, once I got back in the house, I picked up a book and read until my mother would get up for work. This book became the catalyst for me that propelled me out of the realm of selfish materialism to a life of improving myself to help others. If I had to choose one book during those days that set the table for the years to come, it would be this book.
Who would have thought, twenty-five years after this book changed my life, that I would have the stories that I now have to tell. Allah knows best if I would have ever lived and studied in Yemen for fifteen years if I had not read this book, and Allah knows best if I could have ever been patient through war, poverty and death if I had not read this book. Obviously, this book does not have the effect on me now that it did then because I have been blessed to read great books and gain a lot of experience, but I am still thankful for finding this gem in the book store that night.
For the next few nights, I stayed up all night reading this book. I would read some of his passages over and over again. I realized that I had truly been living my life selfishly. At this point, I began to read books like I had never read them before. I still had my nightly business in the streets. However, once I got back in the house, I picked up a book and read until my mother would get up for work. This book became the catalyst for me that propelled me out of the realm of selfish materialism to a life of improving myself to help others. If I had to choose one book during those days that set the table for the years to come, it would be this book.
Who would have thought, twenty-five years after this book changed my life, that I would have the stories that I now have to tell. Allah knows best if I would have ever lived and studied in Yemen for fifteen years if I had not read this book, and Allah knows best if I could have ever been patient through war, poverty and death if I had not read this book. Obviously, this book does not have the effect on me now that it did then because I have been blessed to read great books and gain a lot of experience, but I am still thankful for finding this gem in the book store that night.
October 16, 2016
We may know the outcome, and it may not have been intention, but this almost reads in the fashion of a fictional action novel. Guevera's distinct analytical style however shines through, and if the reader was somehow unaware it wouldnt take long to realise they were reading history.
This is a fairly short diary that spans just over a year from the boarding of the Granma in Mexico to the final victory battle, reading to and from work and for an hour or so a night it took me a couple of days. As you would expect the diary more or less runs in chronological order, with the author adding detail retrospectively where deemed necessary, we witness all the battles he participated in and "those" moments in between that are so critical in any war. Context is usually pretty good, giving the reader enough information of the tactical relevance of each march or battle, and there is a lot of marching. As Che writes himself, a two hour battle can be retold in 3 minutes, but what comes out so expertly in this writing is the emotional toll of all aspects of their journey, from the killing to the toothaches, the despair and betrayal, to the jubilation, told first hand it gives an extra dimension to the stories you may already know.
As with Guerilla Warfare, this is an essential read for anybody wanting to truly understand Guevara's ideology and mentality, it comes though in his speech and thought, which hard as they may try is normally very difficult for a third party to portray without the actual individuals explanation (I'm not slurring biographies in this statement). Considering the length, I would also recommend this even if you are merely studying Guevara for a short essay or to get a high level overview of the man, it is not steeped in ideological or political theory so isn't particularly difficult get through, whilst being exciting enough to stop you from putting it down.
This is a fairly short diary that spans just over a year from the boarding of the Granma in Mexico to the final victory battle, reading to and from work and for an hour or so a night it took me a couple of days. As you would expect the diary more or less runs in chronological order, with the author adding detail retrospectively where deemed necessary, we witness all the battles he participated in and "those" moments in between that are so critical in any war. Context is usually pretty good, giving the reader enough information of the tactical relevance of each march or battle, and there is a lot of marching. As Che writes himself, a two hour battle can be retold in 3 minutes, but what comes out so expertly in this writing is the emotional toll of all aspects of their journey, from the killing to the toothaches, the despair and betrayal, to the jubilation, told first hand it gives an extra dimension to the stories you may already know.
As with Guerilla Warfare, this is an essential read for anybody wanting to truly understand Guevara's ideology and mentality, it comes though in his speech and thought, which hard as they may try is normally very difficult for a third party to portray without the actual individuals explanation (I'm not slurring biographies in this statement). Considering the length, I would also recommend this even if you are merely studying Guevara for a short essay or to get a high level overview of the man, it is not steeped in ideological or political theory so isn't particularly difficult get through, whilst being exciting enough to stop you from putting it down.
March 22, 2023
Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War is Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s account of his experiences as one of Fidel Castro’s chief lieutenants in his fight against the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista for control of Cuba. This was a struggle that began in November 1956, when Castro and a number of his fellow revolutionaries sailed in choppy waters from Mexico to Cuba on a ship called the Granma. They arrived on a swampy beach with mangroves and were soon set upon by Batista’s forces. It was an uneven skirmish and it seemed likely that Castro’s efforts to liberate Cuba would be for naught. Yet, in spite of great odds, the survivors from the Granma managed to make it into the Sierra Maestra mountains, where Castro would begin, with help from other revolutionaries on the island (e.g. Frank País - who was subsequently killed by police in July 1957 - and Celia Sanchez), to build an army to effectively challenge Batista.
Guevara gives a fascinating story as to how the Cuban Revolution took shape over the next 2 years. Eventually, as Batista’s army lose ground through a series of battles with the revolutionaries, Guevara (a physician by training) is put in charge of a force that captures the key town of Santa Clara, which effectively gives the revolutionaries control of the nation and precipitates Batista fleeing by plane to the Dominican Republic on January 1, 1959.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants a first-hand account as to how Fidel Castro triumphed over Batista in Cuba.
Guevara gives a fascinating story as to how the Cuban Revolution took shape over the next 2 years. Eventually, as Batista’s army lose ground through a series of battles with the revolutionaries, Guevara (a physician by training) is put in charge of a force that captures the key town of Santa Clara, which effectively gives the revolutionaries control of the nation and precipitates Batista fleeing by plane to the Dominican Republic on January 1, 1959.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants a first-hand account as to how Fidel Castro triumphed over Batista in Cuba.
January 7, 2017
Pasajes y vivencias personales del Che desde el desembarco del Granma en la playa de las Coloradas hasta la batalla final en Santa Clara. El libro muestra a un Che intimista que reconoce sus miedos e incluso su falta de destreza tanto con el fusil como con el botiquín. Para Fidel una Cuba libre de Batista es el objetivo final, mientras que para el Che Cuba no es más que el ejemplo para otros países sometidos. Quizás el aspecto más interesante que ofrece el libro, desde mi punta de vista, es la disputa interna del movimiento revolucionario entre el llano (a través de infructuosas huelgas y correrías políticas) y la sierra (a través del combate armado directo). Esas diferencias, que se acentúan con la muestra de debilidad del ejército de Batista, casi frustran el proceso revolucionario. La sierra sale fortalecida con la figura de Fidel como comandante en jefe y secretario general del movimiento en todo el país. La sierra desconfía de los revolucionarios moderados del llano al considerarlos meros espectadores agazapados esperando para asumir cargos políticos tras la salida de Batista. A través de los capítulos el Che hace un tributo a sus compañeros de lucha caídos en acción, al igual que desmerece a traidores, chivatos y desertores.
June 1, 2014
I've always been fascinated by the cult status of Che Guevara, a man who is still held up as a symbol of hope and freedom that resonates with anyone who has felt oppressed by others around them. This book covers his diary entries from his time fighting in the Cuban Revolution and gives an honest and interesting eyewitness account of the events that unfolded. There are a lot of facts and names in each entry which can make it difficult to read at times, but I admire Che's commitment to keeping the story straight, even if it means it's not the easiest book to read. A good one to dip in and out of.
February 12, 2023
Poučna knjiga ukoliko se žele razumjeti južnoamerički narodi i njihova borba za slobodu.
Pisana je u formi dnevnika i to daje poseban pečat knjizi - bez uljepšavanja i sa događajima sa lica mjesta.
Nažalost, neki dijelovi nisu čitljivi (tipični doktorski rukopis koji nije mogla rastumačiti ni njegova supruga), ali i pored toga vrijedna je čitanja.
Pisana je u formi dnevnika i to daje poseban pečat knjizi - bez uljepšavanja i sa događajima sa lica mjesta.
Nažalost, neki dijelovi nisu čitljivi (tipični doktorski rukopis koji nije mogla rastumačiti ni njegova supruga), ali i pored toga vrijedna je čitanja.
January 2, 2008
A remarkably honest, non-hagiographic look at young people struggling against incredible odds. Their trust in their ability to improvise was one of their greatest strengths.
March 25, 2026
what an absolute privilege to read Guevara's first-hand experiences, analyses, and ideology — his revolutionary spirit and education, which he disseminated while he was alive, remains to do for eternity
to educate the self, to educate the masses offers the basis for social change, for liberation and freedom for all
my book is filled with annotations on historical events in Cuba & Latin America, their prominent figures and leaders like Guevara and Castro (but also countless fighters that Guevara is sure to mention by name), the factors contributing to a guerrilla warfare and the struggle for freedom, and wider questions we must strategically consider in the face of the oppression
these include:
- the necessity of truth and fact for social change + the necessity of imagination for revolutionary spirit, morale, and faith
- the honor, nobility, and courage of the revolutionary
- sacrifice, grief, and tenderness of martyrdom
- death only as a strategic revolutionary sacrifice (powerful excerpt on p. 160) — putting the public in vulnerable positions that can lead to mass death is unnecessary (a key point of contention between the guerrilla and the urban divisions of the M-26-7 movement) — leaves me with many reflections on the martyrs of our contemporary global fight for liberation, and many more on how the struggle manifests against modern warfare, widespread corruption, and global colonial and capitalist movements
- the grace of revolutionary combat, and the principles of the fight for liberation VS the cowardice, lies, and inhumane tactics of the oppressor (who mimics and uses the colonizers tactics)
- the vital importance of communication + the dissemination of knowledge (educating the troops and peasants) and information — the development of a revolutionary consciousness that paves the way for real, honest change
"Revolutionary conduct is a mirror of revolutionary faith."
to educate the self, to educate the masses offers the basis for social change, for liberation and freedom for all
my book is filled with annotations on historical events in Cuba & Latin America, their prominent figures and leaders like Guevara and Castro (but also countless fighters that Guevara is sure to mention by name), the factors contributing to a guerrilla warfare and the struggle for freedom, and wider questions we must strategically consider in the face of the oppression
these include:
- the necessity of truth and fact for social change + the necessity of imagination for revolutionary spirit, morale, and faith
- the honor, nobility, and courage of the revolutionary
- sacrifice, grief, and tenderness of martyrdom
- death only as a strategic revolutionary sacrifice (powerful excerpt on p. 160) — putting the public in vulnerable positions that can lead to mass death is unnecessary (a key point of contention between the guerrilla and the urban divisions of the M-26-7 movement) — leaves me with many reflections on the martyrs of our contemporary global fight for liberation, and many more on how the struggle manifests against modern warfare, widespread corruption, and global colonial and capitalist movements
- the grace of revolutionary combat, and the principles of the fight for liberation VS the cowardice, lies, and inhumane tactics of the oppressor (who mimics and uses the colonizers tactics)
- the vital importance of communication + the dissemination of knowledge (educating the troops and peasants) and information — the development of a revolutionary consciousness that paves the way for real, honest change
"Revolutionary conduct is a mirror of revolutionary faith."
June 4, 2022
Pretty impressive account although thin on the ground towards Santa Clara for anything interesting and skips over a lot of key details. The first two thirds of the book however are really excellent, very heavy with details, names, wit, woes, and brilliant pathos for the downtrodden of Oriente.
Che conveys the deep nuances of a civil conflict, and never once does he ever blame or hate a traitor or an informer, accepting that they were motivated rationally by either material conditions or the fear that Batista's capitanes could inspire in rural communities.
Lots of really funny moments, and you really get the impression that the entire revolution was almost won by the skin of its teeth at times. Here's a choice quote I really liked:
"The entire column climbed to the Turquino peak, and up there we finished the interview with Bob Taber. He was preparing a film that was later televised in the United States, at a time when we were not feared so much. (One example of this came from a peasant who joined us, who said that Casillas had offered him three hundred pesos and a pregnant cow if he would kill Fidel.) The North Americans were not the only ones who were wrong about the price of our highest commander." - Che, April 1957
Che conveys the deep nuances of a civil conflict, and never once does he ever blame or hate a traitor or an informer, accepting that they were motivated rationally by either material conditions or the fear that Batista's capitanes could inspire in rural communities.
Lots of really funny moments, and you really get the impression that the entire revolution was almost won by the skin of its teeth at times. Here's a choice quote I really liked:
"The entire column climbed to the Turquino peak, and up there we finished the interview with Bob Taber. He was preparing a film that was later televised in the United States, at a time when we were not feared so much. (One example of this came from a peasant who joined us, who said that Casillas had offered him three hundred pesos and a pregnant cow if he would kill Fidel.) The North Americans were not the only ones who were wrong about the price of our highest commander." - Che, April 1957
Read
January 25, 2025this was mostly a lengthy accounting of the specifics of the cuban revolution, sometimes boring but sometimes deeply fascinating. i found the moments between battles the most interesting as the full unglamorous and difficult side of their revolution was seen. i adored some of the beautiful and thought provoking statements che guevara would write as well. what was most fascinating was the brief accounts of the members of the 26th of july movement - they were truly humanized and reading about their struggles, hopes, imperfections, and ends was deeply moving. once again, his writings never fail to remind me that these people were revolutionaries who fought for their people and land but always human beings like all of us at the same time.
“This might have been the first time I was faced, literally, with the dilemma of choosing between my devotion to medicine and my duty as a revolutionary soldier. There, at my feet, was a backpack full of medicine and a box of ammunition. They were too heavy to carry both. I picked up the ammunition, leaving the medicine, and started to cross the clearing, heading for the cane field.”
“This might have been the first time I was faced, literally, with the dilemma of choosing between my devotion to medicine and my duty as a revolutionary soldier. There, at my feet, was a backpack full of medicine and a box of ammunition. They were too heavy to carry both. I picked up the ammunition, leaving the medicine, and started to cross the clearing, heading for the cane field.”
January 25, 2025
A bit too heavy on putting as many anecdotes as possible. Obviously it does make sense since Guevara is trying to fit in as many of the “lessons” that were learnt during the Cuban revolution. So it does make sense for him to want to fit in every thing he could, especially given how traumatising being a witness to war can be. Watching your friends, good people getting killed almost everyday is going to have an effect on you. I did find it inspiring how at every point he was able to somewhat find comfort in the fact they all died for a purpose bigger than themselves. Even more so when you hear the stories of young people willing laying down their lives to protect the freedoms of their fellow humans. As far as how it’s written, it didn’t really flow as well as it could have. But then that’s to be expected when you’re reading something translated from a different language. Gonna miss reading this book, feels like it’s been with me for ages … then again that’s probably because I’m a slow reader
April 17, 2026
what an intriguing read about the Cuban revolutionary struggle for freedom and sovereignty.
it's a book filled with the experiences of Guevara and most importantly his comrades. It's "refreshing" to have an insight on the feelings of the revolutionaries rather than reading a history textbook. Although I really should've informed myself a little better beforehand about the struggle to understand some of the relations that were mentioned briefly. But I will come back to this book when I know a handful more about the revolutionary war and I will understand a lot more of it for sure.
it's a book filled with the experiences of Guevara and most importantly his comrades. It's "refreshing" to have an insight on the feelings of the revolutionaries rather than reading a history textbook. Although I really should've informed myself a little better beforehand about the struggle to understand some of the relations that were mentioned briefly. But I will come back to this book when I know a handful more about the revolutionary war and I will understand a lot more of it for sure.
December 8, 2023
"Pueden tener seguridad nuestros amigos del continenete insumiso que, si es necesario, lucharemos hasta la última consecuencia económica de nuestros actos, y si se lleva aún más lejos la pelea, lucharemos hasta la última gota de nuestra sangre rebelde, para hacer de esta tierra una república soberana con los verdaderos atributos de una nación feliz, democrática y fraternal de sus hermanos de América."
Ernesto Che Guevara
Ernesto Che Guevara
February 21, 2023
Who knew that guerrilla warfare could be so monotone?
October 8, 2025
jezus, heb hier echt heel lang over gedaan. het was wel interessant. ik wist echt heeeel weinig over de cubaanse revolutie. che guevara kan het soms wel echt leuk levendig houden, maar heel vaak is het ook heel statisch en feitelijk genoteerd, wat dus i guess wel educatief is maar niet echt lekker leest. ik heb er niet heel erg van genoten. ga hem wel net een 5.5 geven want onvoldoende voelt ook overdreven. ik ga nu eindelijk weer lekker fictie lezen hoor doe mij maar weer liefde en familiedrama enzo heeeeerlie xxxxx
December 12, 2025
the lack of map and so many names made it so hard to read but outside of this it was really interesting to learn from such a perspective
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