Books on Che Guevara

ShiverinEskimo

Hi folks,

I've discovered an interest in Che Guevara and wanted to know if anyone has any recommendation on Biographies etc.

Also, has anyone read any of Che Guevara's books? Motorcyle Diaries, Bolivia Diaries, Guerilla Warfare etc?

Any recommendations are appreciated.

Bodhidharma

I've read all Che's books. They are all brilliant. The Bolivian Diary is the best because we know where its heading - heartbreaking stuff.You should look out for "The Che Guevara Reader" - its basically a book of speeches and gives you the best in terms of his political thinking.

In terms of biographys "Companero" is excellent as is "A Revolutionary Life". Because there are so many rubbish books out there i would say stick to the ones he wrote and the 2 biographys i mentioned.

ShiverinEskimo

Bodhidharma wrote:

In terms of biographys "Companero" is excellent as is "A Revolutionary Life". Because there are so many rubbish books out there i would say stick to the ones he wrote and the 2 biographys i mentioned.

I assume this is the "A Revolutionary Life" you spoke of?

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/230332/Che_Guevara/Product.html

Also found Companero:

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/238581/Companero/Product.html

Is it worth reading both biographies - especially one after another - going on a trip soon and was looking for reading material.

I'm also going to get his diaries...

(Thanks btw for the recommendations)

BossArky

I read this one in 2003:

The African Dream: The diaries of the Revolutionary War in the Congo

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802138349/002-9619995-8018467?v=glance&n=283155

It was my first and only book on him, which details the 2 years of so he spent in the Congo.

Not exaclty on topic but recently when on hols travelling around Central America, the city of San Salvador in particular, you could feel his influence on the people there t-shirts, grafitti, etc. To be honest, after hanging around with some friends there, and their friends who were locals, I got tired of the constant political ideas people pushed about.

I would like to read the Bolivian one. More books detailed here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara

Bodhidharma

If your doing some travelling and reading then i would go for "The Bolivian Diary" and "Companero". "A Revolutionary Life" is good but huge and fairly awkward to carry. It doen't give you any more info and "Companero"is more up to date.

"The Bolivian Diary" is very, very good. It shows such a strong figure fighting a futile battle, knowing what the likely outcome is, yet going through anyway. Tragic and inspiring.

BTW since your interested in Che i would also reccomend "The Autobiography of Malcolm X". Its probably the only historical/political/autobiographical book that effected me more than Che's.

ShiverinEskimo

Thanks all - your recommendations will keep me going til judgement day at the rate I read books.

Muchos Appreciate.

TheFredJ

his guerilla warfare didn't impress me - a bit too specific, a bit too much like mao tse tung's warfare book. personally i prefer the classics on this subject (sun tzu, machiavelli and clausewitz).

i know you asked for books, and this is therefore off-topic, but look out for a recording from the british comedian mark steel. it's from his lectures series and is a whole half hour on che - informative and funny at the same time.

continuing off-topic, there's a che double dvd, el che and tracing the worth paying bargain bin prices for. el che is good, interviews and newsreel footage. tracing che is a self-indulgent travelogue, the motorcycle diaries without any style or charm.