I had to give up early and did not finish the book to the end.

The reason was that I found the non-sequential storyline extremely difficult to follow.

The author seems to be more concerned with proving his source of information as he progresses through the narrative, which makes the story disjointed and confusing.

I was anticipating a captivating story about a man who became a hero to many but a villain to the US authorities. However, what I got was more of a verbatim account of his life, lacking the excitement and drama I was hoping for.

For me, the excessive amount of detail has actually spoilt the potential of what could have been a wonderful story about a man I truly wish I had met.

It's a pity that the book didn't live up to my expectations, as I believe there was great potential to tell a truly remarkable tale.

Perhaps with a different approach to the storytelling and a more streamlined narrative, this book could have been a masterpiece.

As it stands, though, I can't help but feel disappointed.

Che Guevara's personality is so charming that it doesn't need explanation or description.

Look at the millions of T-shirts, mugs, posters, and wall paintings around the world, or perhaps even more people who have at least heard his name.

The book is extremely captivating and painful.

It is a tragedy of all ideals that shook the world in its time and is still alive today, and generations like mine have also had an association with it.

For example, myself. I, who was born in 1986 in West Asia, know the Argentine Che Guevara who was killed in Bolivia in 1968. It's not because of the book either! I know and don't even remember when or where from!

The legend of Ernesto Guevara or as his close ones called him "Che" is just like this.

First note: Apart from history, the book is very useful if we read it from another perspective, that is, by comparing it with ourselves. During the study, I was constantly thinking that perhaps Mr. Che Guevara is so popular because of the life he had, otherwise, his way and method, which I understand as Marxism, would not have so many followers and pioneers today.

A young man who shakes hands gently with a strong will, becomes a doctor, a sportsman on a motorcycle, and finally travels the world in poverty, participates in another revolution in another country, fights and wins, and then reaches the ministry. So far, perhaps many successful people have also had this.

But he knows his values and, more importantly, his interests well.

A person who had a meeting with Khrushchev and Mao the day before yesterday and was proud to host Sartre in Paris does not know himself.

He gathers and sets off for Africa, the Congo under Belgian colonial rule. He wants to fight and now also help them after the Cubans.

Che Guevara knew well what he loved in the world: reading, writing, and fighting.

This is also why he left several boxes of books behind and traveled around the world, taking the side of the weak in a war, and in his spare time, he would read like crazy and sometimes write.

Really, how many of us know what we want to do? I mean with such clarity.

If we know, how many times do we have the courage?

I think one of the reasons for his popularity is this.

We, the cowards and the submissive, read about other lives in the face of social, geographical, political, and other constraints, but forget our own un-lived lives.

Second note: If you think my reading is very long, don't think that the book is difficult to read and not good. That's not the case at all. I had read until the last chapter and my spirit was not good. I didn't want to face the tragedy. It was hard.

A story away from the eternal dualism of Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a village that lived in relative peace. The people there did not concern themselves with the grand battles between the forces of good and evil as personified by Ahura Mazda and Ahriman. Instead, they focused on their daily lives, tending to their farms, raising their families, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

One day, a stranger came to the village. He was a wise man who had traveled far and wide, and he brought with him stories of other lands and cultures. The people of the village were fascinated by his tales and gathered around him to listen. But as the days passed, the stranger began to notice that the people of the village seemed to be missing something. They were content with their lives, but they lacked a sense of purpose and direction.

The stranger decided to tell the people of the village a story of his own. It was a story of a hero who had faced many challenges and overcome them all, not by relying on the power of the gods, but by using his own courage and determination. The people of the village were inspired by the story and began to think about what they could do to make their own lives more meaningful.

From that day on, the people of the village set out to make a difference in the world. They worked together to build schools and hospitals, to help the poor and the sick, and to make their village a better place to live. And as they did so, they discovered that they had within them the power to create their own destiny, independent of the eternal dualism of Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna is often remembered almost as a being from Homeric poems. However, he was a real person with his own mistakes and successes, his own lights and shadows.

He was a son, a student, a young lover, a traveler, a doctor, a guerrilla, a minister, a banker, and above all, a revolutionary who always fought for what he believed was right and who recognized his errors.

He supported the Cuban revolution of 1959 and his participation was crucial in its victory. In Cuba, he showed that the economy was not his forte and that his ideas had no place in a system that depended on pacts with Moscow, but he defended them until the end.

He self-exiled and decided to support a already defeated revolution in the Congo, a divided uprising led by undisciplined and cowardly leaders and soldiers. After that, he went to Bolivia, a country that was said to be the best in Latin America to expand Marxism through the armed struggle, but in practice it was quite the opposite and a disaster similar to the experience in the Congo.

The Che always had everything against him, but when he put his life on the line in three countries, he was the one who put the most effort and tenacity into his task despite all the hardships he suffered and having a disabling asthma since childhood. But he was too idealistic, and that was his downfall.

The guerrilla in Bolivia failed and the Che was captured. Some point to Fidel as the traitor responsible for Guevara's death, others to Mario Monje, the secretary general of the Bolivian Communist Party. The work is very rigorous in that sense (and in the rest of the Che's life), providing real dialogues and testimonies, so the reader can easily draw their own conclusions.

In conclusion, he was a brave man, tenacious with noble intentions, but also authoritarian (although he never demanded anything different from others than what he demanded from himself) and too romantic (he believed that anything could be achieved with just willpower). Likewise, it must also be mentioned that he was de facto homophobic and a proponent of the segregation of the homosexual collective and people with HIV in Cuba and was responsible for some of the extrajudicial executions of prisoners of war after the overthrow of Batista (550 in total according to Fidel himself). Not everything in a man's life is good.

In a few days it will be the anniversary of his death. Some will remember him with melancholy, others will be glad that his life expired on that 9th of October 1967. But, regardless of whether we agree with him and his actions or not, Erwin Rommel taught me that honor and respect must also be given to the enemy.

Some of your actions were not correct, but you died in combat for what you believed was just for the poor and oppressed.

Rest in peace, comandante.

The book was good.

However, since it was not very attractive to me at all, I only read it to know more.

Maybe it was because the writing style didn't quite suit my taste or the story didn't have that hook that made me eager to turn the pages.

But still, I thought it was important to give it a chance and see what it had to offer.

As I read through it, I did manage to pick up some interesting information and ideas.

It made me think about certain things from a different perspective.

Although it wasn't a page-turner for me, I'm glad I read it as it contributed to my overall knowledge and understanding.

Maybe in the future, I'll come across a book that will completely captivate me and keep me engaged from start to finish.

Until then, I'll continue to explore different books and see what they have in store for me.

Reading about Che is indeed a lot more interesting than simply reading what he actually said. This particular book offers a unique perspective. I don't always find myself in complete agreement with Castaneda's analysis. However, it is evident that a great deal of research has gone into it. The author has presented a generally fair assessment. The book delves deep into the life and times of Che, exploring his ideals, his actions, and the impact he had. It provides valuable insights that can help readers better understand this complex and influential figure. Despite the differences in opinion one may have with the analysis, the overall quality of the research and the fairness with which it is presented make this a worthwhile read.

**Title: A Review of "The Friend Book: The Life and Death of Ernesto Che Guevara"**

The book "The Friend Book: The Life and Death of Ernesto Che Guevara" has become a bestseller due to the revolutionary and charismatic personality of Che Guevara and the publicity it has received.

One of the advantages of this book is that the author has tried to write objectively and present the real personality of Che Guevara to the reader, actually demystifying him. The author has made interesting analyses of Che Guevara's writings and memories, which are thought-provoking and interesting.

However, the disadvantages of the book are greater and more numerous than its advantages. The first drawback I noticed was the author's mistakes. Due to my interest in the personality of Che Guevara, I referred to his memories, documents, and another biography of him while reading this book and witnessed the author's mistakes. For example, the author wrote in the book that Che Guevara was born on June 14, while according to other sources, since Che Guevara's mother was pregnant before her marriage to his father, the date of Che Guevara's birth was registered one month later, that is, on June 14, to save their face. So actually, Che Guevara was born in May. Or the author wrote in the book that a trip that Che Guevara later published his memories of under the name "Motorcycle Diaries" lasted 8 months, while according to his memories and other sources, this trip lasted 6 months. The author had other mistakes that are difficult to explain here. Another drawback of the book is that the author provides incomplete information in some parts and speaks very unclearly and inconsistently in some parts. For example, a reader in Iran who reads this book has no information about Perón and Peronism or the United Fruit Company, but the author has written the book in such a way that he assumes all readers have this information, and for this reason, you get confused in some parts of the book. Or the author writes about Hilda Gadea, Che Guevara's first wife, in the book, but suddenly returns to the discussion about the overthrow of the Arbenz regime in Guatemala, which confuses the reader. Another drawback of the book is that when you study other sources and then refer to this book, you realize that the book has not mentioned some topics, and if the author had written about those topics in the book, you would no longer have the feeling of confusion that you get when reading the book.

P.S: You will only notice all the drawbacks that I have written here if you also refer to other sources while reading this book.

P.S. Second: Mr. Bijan Eshteri has translated good historical books, but in every translator's work, there is also a bad book.

P.S. Third: The text of the book also did not have an attractive text for some reasons.

This book is an extremely detailed and captivating piece of work. It is evident that the author has invested an enormous amount of research into it, as one can clearly see by counting the footnotes!!

After reading this, I find that my respect for Che Guevara has deepened. The portrayal that Castaneda has created of him is a very human one, showing a man with both remarkable strengths and significant flaws. It is only now, having delved into the story of his life, that I can truly appreciate his legacy and look beyond the famous Korda photograph that has been so widely capitalized upon.

Castaneda's writing style is decent, but at times it can be rather dry. I had a great deal of difficulty with the middle part of the book as he employs an abundance of quotations, references, and footnotes, which often leaves the reader feeling lost. I would have given it a higher rating if not for the writing, as the subject matter is truly fascinating.

QUOTATIONS I LIKED:
"If fate and love come into conflict, the former must always win; for love will fade if it rests upon indignity or abdication."

"'I knew you were going to shoot me; I should never have been taken alive. Tell Fidel that this failure does not mean the end of the revolution, that it will triumph elsewhere. Tell Aleida to forget this, remarry and be happy, and keep the children studying. Ask the soldiers to aim well.'"

Castañeda's portrayal of Guevara left a rather lackluster impression on me.

To be honest, it was neither captivating nor impartial.

The book did offer certain revelations, such as in the declassified US documents and the like.

However, in the end, it failed to truly satisfy.

Perhaps it was the one-sided nature of the presentation or the lack of a more in-depth exploration of Guevara's complex character and ideology.

Whatever the reason, it simply didn't live up to my expectations.

It seemed to skate over important aspects and present a somewhat sanitized or distorted view of the revolutionary icon.

Overall, while it had its moments, it was ultimately a disappointment.

If you own the T-shirt that features Che Guevara and you have watched "Motorcycle Diaries" a dozen times, yet you still don't have in-depth knowledge about this iconic figure, then this particular book is a great reference to read.

It offers a wealth of information that can help you understand the life, ideals, and actions of Che Guevara.

However, it's not without its drawbacks. The downside is that it reads very much like a textbook, complete with footnotes.

This can make the reading experience a bit dry and academic at times.

But if you're truly interested in learning about Che Guevara and are willing to put in the effort to wade through the more detailed and scholarly content, then this book can be a valuable resource.

It provides a comprehensive look at his life and the historical context in which he operated, which can enhance your understanding and appreciation of his significance.

So, despite its textbook-like nature, it's still worth considering for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of Che Guevara.

I almost bit my teeth on this. It is excellently researched, but the German translation is very bumpy. Some passages are too detailed with several quotations for their actual importance.

This work shows a great deal of effort in the research aspect. However, the quality of the German translation detracts from the overall experience. The use of multiple quotations in certain passages seems excessive and may overshadow the main points.

It would be beneficial to smooth out the translation to make it more understandable and to reevaluate the level of detail in the quoted passages. This would enhance the readability and impact of the work.

Overall, while the research is of high quality, the translation and the handling of quotations need some improvement to fully realize the potential of this piece.

If you are looking for a story, or want to know what happened, for example, during the Cuban Revolution? Then don't come to this book, because you will be disappointed.

It is exactly like this that the heroes are shown without flaws and without shortcomings, not showing the points of weakness and many other things, but this book is not like that. In a completely documented way and only about Che Guevara is written (line by line the book is documented and has sources), the author has tried to examine Che Guevara's life, personality and goals from all positive and negative aspects, and in my opinion has been completely successful in this regard.

Throughout eleven chapters, we accompany Che from childhood to the time of his death (and what a painful death it was).... For a better understanding of the book, you should have good information about the countries of the world, political leaders, revolutionary groups and political schools of that period.

The translation of the book was really excellent, lively and flawless.