Ohhh my God.

This piece of work is insanely well researched and insightful.

It is a difficult read for a multitude of reasons.

Perhaps the complexity of the subject matter, or the depth of the analysis.

However, despite the challenges, it is So Good.

It makes you think, it makes you feel.

It forces you to confront the injustices that exist in the world.

And it reminds us that we have a responsibility to do something about them.

“Above all, always be capable of feeling deeply any injustice committed against anyone, anywhere in the world. This is the most beautiful quality in a revolutionary.”

This quote sums up the essence of the article.

It is a call to action, a reminder that we must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.

We must be willing to stand up and fight for what is right, no matter how difficult it may be.

Well, does reading an 850-page book on someone really humanize them? There has always been a "myth" surrounding Che Guevara. Some see him as a positive "revolutionary hero" (which is indeed true), while others demonize him as "an evil mass murderer who killed 10,000 people" (absolutely ridiculous propaganda).

Before reading this book, I didn't really know much about Che beyond the basic facts. Now, I find it incredibly hard, well, impossible, not to admire him. There is a quote in the book that says, "He [Che] was probably the world's best-known Marxist revolutionary, a man for whom the goal of 'proletarian internationalism' knew no frontiers." I think this sums him up very well. At his core, Che's aim was nothing but an international, anti-imperialist, communist uprising and revolution. He dedicated his life to this aim and, unfortunately, died for it.

However, it's the other little details about Che that make him such an admirable person to me. For example, he imposed personal austerity measures on himself and his family because he refused any kind of special treatment due to who he was. He was determined to stay true to his ideals, even if it meant that he and his family had to suffer. He continuously asked if the proletariat would be able to experience the same luxuries that could have easily been available to him. If the answer was no, then he refused it. This was highlighted by his criticism of the USSR's elite for their refusal to take the same measures as him, challenging their intentions behind their leadership and true dedication to communism. I don't point this out to criticize the USSR but to show the extent to which Che took communism to heart and naturally expected others to do the same. It says a lot about him as a person and why he is the revolutionary icon he is today.

There were also other points, such as the fact that he put his health and life at risk several times during the July 26th revolution, simply because he put revolution above all, and most importantly, above himself. Really, I could go on for a long time talking about why Che Guevara is such an important and admirable figure. I think most importantly, Che Guevara personifies what it means to be a communist.

Regarding the book itself, it is exhaustively and intensively researched. Lee Anderson is thorough in his research, perhaps even too thorough at times. This book wasn't always an easy read because it went into too much detail about things I wasn't very interested in or things that weren't very relevant. However, Lee Anderson offers an objective view on Che and is critical when he needs to be. Despite the long and at times exhaustive read, I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the kind of person Che Guevara was and why he is the icon he is today.

I highly doubt that there exists a more profound and thoroughly researched biography of Che.

Such a biography would meticulously detail the various influences and experiences that molded him into the remarkable man he was.

It would explore the events that ultimately transformed him into the iconic symbol he has become.

Che's life was a complex tapestry of ideals, struggles, and adventures.

A comprehensive biography would delve deep into his early years, uncovering the factors that shaped his beliefs and values.

It would also examine his political activities, his travels, and his relationships.

By understanding the full context of Che's life, we can gain a more accurate and nuanced perspective on his significance and impact.

Perhaps such a biography would finally shed light on the true essence of this enigmatic figure.

Until then, we can only continue to speculate and wonder about the real Che.

Exhaustive to say the least, this book is truly a comprehensive source of information.

If you have any questions about the life of this man, Guevara, rest assured that this book will answer them for you.

It provides in-depth details and insights into his life, struggles, and ideals.

However, I do get the impression that Guevara would have a rather complex reaction to seeing his picture on a t-shirt being worn by just about everybody walking around the US.

On one hand, it could be seen as a form of recognition and admiration for his cause.

But on the other hand, he might feel that his image has been commodified and stripped of its true meaning.

Nevertheless, this book offers a valuable opportunity to understand the real Guevara beyond the iconic image.

I did not read about Che simply because I'm a wannabe socialist or guerrilla. Instead, I read Che because I have a general penchant for biographies.

I firmly believe that it is highly beneficial for twenty-somethings who are grappling with the questions of "what are my values and how will I commit to them in my life?" to peruse the biographies of individuals who have already traversed that path, regardless of whether their values are similar or divergent.

What truly endeared this book to me was not merely the perspective it offered on the captivating history of Che's life, particularly the Cuban revolution, but also the numerous journal excerpts from Che himself. I mean, what an incredibly deeply reflective thinker he was. What a passionate soul. Che Guevara is indeed a true inspiration for anyone who requires a shot of courage to take the leap and follow what they believe in, even if it entails sacrificing the easy and comfortable road that offers a great deal of security in one's life.

His story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes, in order to make a meaningful impact and stay true to one's convictions, one must be willing to step out of the comfort zone and embrace the unknown.

Radicalization into Marxist-Leninist ideology for armed revolution is a concept that has gained significant attention.

It is often argued that this approach works, as it has been associated with various historical movements that aimed to bring about social and political change.

Additionally, those who advocate for this form of radicalization are also famously pro-Palestine.

They believe that Marxist-Leninist principles can be applied to the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and liberation.

By using armed revolution, they hope to overthrow the existing power structures and establish a more just and equitable society.

However, this approach is not without controversy, as it has been criticized for its potential to lead to violence and instability.

Some argue that peaceful means should be explored first, while others believe that armed revolution is the only way to achieve true change.

In conclusion, the idea of radicalization into Marxist-Leninist for armed revolution is a complex and divisive issue that continues to be debated.

What an amazing book!

It is thoroughly-researched and has a vast scope. This 750-page tome delves into the life of the iconic “Che” Guevara. It starts from his upbringing as a rambunctious and headstrong youth in Argentina and takes us all the way to his tragic demise in Bolivia in the late 60s. (Yes, I just gave away a spoiler!)

This book truly sparked my interest in history as a whole.

I think the book maintains a rather neutral tone. It neither praises nor condemns Ernesto Guevara’s character or his actions throughout his life. The author has done an excellent job of weaving historical details into the narrative. This is the result of interviews with various associates and loved ones of the notorious guerrillera revolutionary. It is really commendable.

Despite its immense length and girth, reading this book never felt like a chore. Instead, it always left me eager for more.

I haven't been able to figure out precisely why this particular guy is so highly lauded.

In my personal opinion, his so-called anti-imperialism actually led to a form of imperialism of his own, as he imposed his own political agenda upon other countries.

There is a section in the book that attempts to explain how he was different from the average Cuban. Maybe the reason lies in the fact that he wasn't truly Cuban?

He is indeed lauded as being brilliant, and to a certain extent, he did have some good ideas. However, he wasn't intelligent enough to realize that Communism simply doesn't work.

It's a Utopian concept that will never be fully achieved because people, by nature, are not altruistic. They are not willing to sacrifice the good life for the benefit of all.

Che was an enigma in this sense, as he seemingly did just that.

Moreover, Communism won't work because it requires taking away too much choice and freedom. A case in point is when they eliminated certain studies at the university because they were deemed not to benefit society as a whole.

Humans, whether we like it or not, are individualistic for the most part. Altruism on a grand scale is simply not a common occurrence.

All in all, the book was extraordinarily researched, although perhaps a bit overly long.

For those who highly praise the man, they may now be able to start seeing his faults.

In the end, I just didn't have enough interest in him to truly enjoy the book.

Jon Lee Anderson's biography of Che Guevara is truly remarkable.

It manages to earn the respect of both Che's supporters and detractors. The text is engaging and in-depth, with a transparency that is refreshing when it comes to moments of historical uncertainty. I found myself making hundreds of markings while reading and spending a significant amount of time googling the various figures who made minor appearances. For a biography, and indeed for any book, it was completely engrossing.

The book is long, but it needs to be to fully explore Che's many facets. There is Che the man, the guerrilla, the statesman, and the icon. Anderson shows every aspect of him, from the sickly child to the daredevil, the sex pest (the mucama sections seemed rather rape-y), the traveler, and the con artist. We learn about a venal young man who was actively seeking greatness but was surprisingly uncommitted to any particular path until his mid-20s. Unlike the popular image of Che as a born revolutionary, we see that his path to Cuba and guerrilla warfare was almost a mistake.

As the book progresses, we see Che grow up and engage in a series of almost comical adventures. He balances on pipes over ravines, travels through the continent while suffering from asthma attacks and shooting up with adrenaline, impersonates leprosy experts, and habitually seeks (and often steals) yerba mate for his addiction. His early adventures contain one of the most fascinating sections of the book, where we see his political maturation against the backdrop of the CIA-backed coup in Guatemala. Here, we see the germ of his uncompromising tactics, born of the conviction that Arbenz would not have been overthrown if he had taken a more hardline stance against his political enemies. Throughout the rest of the text, we see this resolve hardening as he becomes ever more focused on the mission to the exclusion of everything else.

Despite his penchant for violence, some of which arguably goes beyond traditional wartime tactics (or at least modern wartime tactics), Che comes across better than one might think. He is ruthless with his men but almost careless with his own life. He volunteers for the most dangerous missions, runs into battle to retrieve equipment (and gets shot in the process), and wheezes constantly in the humidity. Unlike Fidel, who appears as a political actor with a lust for power, quick to condemn others while unwilling to expose himself, Che seems dedicated to ideals of justice. What people think of his specific ideals may vary widely, of course. Anderson shows him not only as unflinching but also at times merciful, often thoughtful, and in some ways the idealized guerrilla. His transformation over the Cuban campaign is stark but somehow feels cohesive with the course of his life.

However, there are times when either Anderson is unclear or Che acts in contradictory ways. It's often not clear who the "chivatos" that they execute are and what they've actually done, and it is equally unclear how Che and Fidel decide their punishments. They often seem to disagree over who to execute and who to spare, and their metrics for deciding punishment seem wildly inconsistent. This may just be a function of their limited solution set, but it would have been nice to see more explanation from Anderson. We also see the beginnings of Che's foco theory of guerrilla warfare during this section.

The middle 300 pages of the book are slower reading, delving into the minutiae of not just Che's various positions in the Cuban government but also the myriad schemes and machinations from all sides that took place in the few years after the revolution. Despite the inherent messiness of it all, the book does a good job of presenting the complexity of statecraft and the sleights of hand that held the fragile peace between not just the US and Cuba but also the USSR, China, various other Latin American nations, and non-governing communist parties in the region. In this section, we see Che out of his element, still an ascetic in peacetime but the asceticism growing weary and out of place. Anderson demonstrates both his obsessive self-sacrifice and how this tendency led him to failure as a statesman. Che's economic policies were often wholly unrealistic, depending on a conception of "the new socialist man" that he had blatantly modeled on himself. He would often work himself into illness, even during peacetime, and seemed to try to alienate his followers and colleagues, berating those who gave him presents and habitually making indelicate comments on diplomatic missions when he thought people were insufficiently proletarian. The sections on Fidel are harder to follow, and I'm not sure whether Fidel was particularly unlikeable or if it's just that Anderson doesn't like him.

Che's return to the jungles is fascinating but perhaps a bit short. The wars in the Congo and Bolivia were unmitigated failures, as were many of Cuba's other international excursions, but it's unclear why. I'm sure the reasons are multifaceted, and I suspect that those interested in Che would appreciate more elaboration on the later failures of foco. The sections on the Congo and Bolivia lay out almost a comedy of errors, but so did those describing the early Cuban invasion. It may be as simple as the fact that asymmetric warfare is difficult and you only win if you get lucky, but this feels like an unsatisfying conclusion.

Overall, the book offers an incredibly detailed look at Che's life and death, his triumphs and failures, and his enduring appeal as an icon. In many ways, Anderson's rendition of Che reminds me of Paul Farmer: ascetic, obsessive, relentless, and incorruptible, if at times a bit blinded by ideology. And it becomes clear why Che was and continues to be such a potent image in death, appearing everywhere. Che was certainly imperfect and often (at least early in his life) an asshole, but he represents an idealism that feels sorely missing today.

Really really really detailed.

Sometimes it is so detailed that it seems to take a great deal away from the emotional depth of this guy's life.

However, it is still an awesome book.

This dude lived an epic life.

He had experiences that were truly remarkable and worthy of being chronicled in such detail.

Perhaps the author's intention was to provide a comprehensive account of his life, leaving no stone unturned.

While this may have sacrificed some of the emotional nuance, it also gives the reader a complete picture of the man and his journey.

Overall, despite the small drawback of the excessive detail, the book is a great read and offers valuable insights into the life of an extraordinary individual.

This was an absolutely fantastic read that served as a remarkable introduction to the intricate and complex nature of the Cuban revolution.

The anecdotes about Che were truly captivating. For instance, the story of when he dissuaded a fellow guerilla from robbing banks, using the memorable phrase "once a bank robber, only a bank robber" (paraphrase), really stood out. It vividly showcases Che's unwavering commitment to his own definition of integrity.

However, upon reflection, I can't help but feel a tinge of sadness. The reality is that his theory of change was rather limited. None of his so-called "adventures" achieved success beyond the borders of Cuba, and in hindsight, they seem almost pathetic.

Additionally, he placed all of his hopes and efforts in Castro's basket, who later proved to be a rather tricky character.

I'm still grappling with the fact that much of the scenarios involved in telling this story are still regarded as state secrets.

Nevertheless, I think Anderson did an excellent job in explaining the various theories and carefully selecting the ones he believed had the most merits. The writing was robust and the research was clearly extensive. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better read!

This is a comprehensive and impartial biography of a man who has been little understood. He passed away 51 years ago, yet he still remains a father figure to modern-day revolutionaries across the globe.

It is a book that manages to distinguish the forest from the trees. In a life as complex and significant as Che Guevara's, achieving this was no easy feat.

The author has painstakingly researched and presented the details of Guevara's life, providing a nuanced and multi-faceted view.

This detailed book offers valuable insights into the man, his ideals, and his impact.

I wholeheartedly encourage any open-minded person to read this book and do so with understanding.

It has the potential to change one's perspective and deepen one's appreciation for the life and work of Che Guevara.