The Che Handbook

by Ernesto Che Guevara, Hilda Barrio

This beautiful book gives new life to the values and thinking of the Che Guevara behind the legend, a man who was at once sensitive, passionate and determined to pursue his socialist dreams to their conclusion. Che is viewed through the camera lens of key Cuban photographers, through posters and other images, and through the iconography that grew up around him after his death in 1967 while trying to start a revolution in Bolivia. The images are accompanied by quotations from writings by Che, several of which have never been published before, which show his commitment to timeless human values such as honour, truth, loyalty and honesty, and highlight his transition from a guerilla fighter to a leader of the Cuban Revolution and his later return to guerilla warfare. The picture which emerges is of a complex man with a highly developed aesthetic sensibility, extraordinary self-discipline, physical daring and a remarkable sense of destiny. The images presented and the lucid accompanying text combine to reveal the personal Che behind the icon. This book is unique. The Che Handbook is based on meticulous research in both official and private archives. iconic record of Che ever published. At the same time, it is the most accessible and authentic portrait of Che through its combination of photographs and writings linking the public man with his private life and feelings. This book includes remarkable images of Che as used in posters and other forms of iconography, many of which have never published. The 160 insightful photographs have been taken by some of Cuba's most important photographers. The photographs have been researched from major Cuban archives such as the Cuban Departamento de Orientacion Revolucionaria, the Oficina de Asuntos Historicos, the Pabellon Cuba and the archives of the magazine Bohemia, the Prensa Latina press agency and from the personal scarpbooks of Che's widow, Aleida March. * Harry Villegas, widely known as Pombo. He accompanied Che throughout the guerilla fighting in the Sierra Maestra, and is a survivor of Che's ill-fated guerilla incursion into Bolivia in 1967. He is today a Brigade General. Maestra and accompanied him on his military expedition to the Congo. * Leonardo Tamayo, who was Che's main bodyguard. He was with Che in the Sierra Maestra, during his years as a Cuban Minister after 1959, in the Congo and in Bolivia. He is today a Colonel in the Interior Ministry. Orlando Borrego knew Che in the years after 1959 and was close to him when he was Minister of Industry. Che made him his Minister for Sugar. He is today an advisor to the Tourism Ministry. * Alberto Granado was a personal friend of Che from the time of their school days in Argentina, and toured South America with him on a motor bike. He has lived in Cuba since 1959. * Perfecto Romero, who joined Che as a young photographer during the final phase of the guerilla war in the Escambray mountains and Santa Clara. * Oscar Fernaudez Mell, a former mayor of Havana and ambassador to Britain, who as a young doctor joined Che's column in the guerilla war and later accompanied him on his military expedition to the Congo.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Politics, History

431 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

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

[Aleksandar Todorovski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of photographs chronologically sorted out for a nice and short enjoyable journey through the life of the most Pico ic revolution art of all times.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always see this guy’s face on things and never knew entirely what he was all about so enjoyed learning more than what I got out of Motorcycle Diaries. (I’ve also told Dave I thought he looked like a stud and so he bought the book for me for Christmas). It was really cool in that you can literally read it in a day because it consists of tons of pictures of Che (which who can’t get down with that, right?), great quotes from Che interspersed throughout and interesting interviews with influential people in his life many years after his assassination. Arguably one of the most passionate people of the 20th century. One of my favorite parts was when his daughter recounts her last time seeing her father. She says, “I have few memories of my father...I think the most beautiful is the day he saw us for the last time. We didn’t know it was him because he was disguised as the old Ramon. I was five and a half years old...I banged my head on the table. He immediately took me in his arms...I said to my mother, “Mama, I have to tell you a secret. I think this man is in love with me.” (p. 371). Other favorites include his advice to his children: “Above all, always be capable of feeling deeply any injustice committed against anyone, anywhere in the world.” (p. 360)

[Jeremy Mabingnay · Rating 3 out of 5]

“If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.” Whether you think of Che as a revolutionary hero who died fighting for the oppressed and the poor or an obstinate warmonger who enforced his ideas to the extreme, there is no question of his reputation as the most iconic rebel of the 20th century whose famous image is lionized in t-shirts and posters. The ironic thing is Che became what he despised: a capitalist icon.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy read, mainly because most of the book is photographs of Che. It is a little of the life of Che and a little of his philosophy. It tells o hi upbringing and ha college years. He received a degree as a doctor. He found that was not to his liking because it didn’t contain adventure or his philosophy. It is at this time he entered his relationship with Fidel Castro and his so called army. He joined up with him and became instrumental in defeating the mafia and Batiste in Cuba. Unfortunately both men escribed to the Marxist philosophy.. this caused Cuba to be communist and an enemy of the United. states. It follows his life from the many jobs in Cuba to his life in Africa, and to his death in Bolivia.

[Nicolas De Beukelaer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeer mooie foto's en citaten. Als biografie biedt het (imo) te weinig info voor wie niet bekend is met Che, en geen nieuwe info voor wie wel ingelezen is over Che. De interviews waren wel echt een meerwaarde

[Eleise Kinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

50th anniversary of Ernesto “Che” Guevara's execution in Bolivia on October 9, 1967, and the CIA's role in his death remains controversial.

[Saint No Stopping Us · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six out of ten.

Decent reference book for Che Guevara. Sticks entirely to the facts (barring the odd interview with those that knew him) so more like an encyclopedia entry than story.

[kath j · Rating 4 out of 5]

short and sweet primer biography on Che, easy and digestible to read, lots of photos and illustrations

[Nathan Denna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to people interested in learning about Che. I do wish that the book would cover how his government changed Cuba more in depth. This book glossed over much of his later exploits and painted him in too kind of a light in my opinion. It failed to mention a lot of the very bad things that arose from their successful revolution.

[Mahdi Heidari · Rating 4 out of 5]

.
ما از زمان آغاز انقلاب تا کنون کارهای بسیار زیادی انجام داده ایم، اما یک روزی ما هم مجبور به فکر کردن خواهیم شد.

کنایه #چگوارا به وزیر آموزش و پرورش کوبا بابت وضعیت کتاب های درسی مدارس

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introductory book to the remarkably profound life and legacy of Che Guevara.

[Benjamin Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Create two, three, many Vietnams."

"Let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

[German · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't know if it was publish before the discovery of his body, is worth the reading if don't feel like reading the bigger book by Mr. Jon Lee Anderson.