Customer Reviews
Its just a book....isn't it? - By: Harty, 07 Apr 2008 
This is a magnificent piece of research & writing.
Anderson reallly brings the reader into Guevara's life & with so many first hand accounts from interviews with many of the people that made up part of the web that was Guevara's world. This book must be read by anyone who wishes to learn about the man.
Historicallly & factuallly splendid, this book reallly lets you feel what was going on (and perhaps is still going on in some cases)in The Americas, Russia & beyond & lets you grasp the true ethos of revolution.
Follow the birth of Ernesto right through to the death of 'Che' & you will experience an intimate account of a genuine legendary & mythical figure,you will literallly feel the power & presence that was Che Guevara.
Unmissable.
A committed revolutionary, but Che is no hero - By: Caterkiller, 15 Oct 2007 
Why is Che Geuvara considered a revolutionary hero? It is not down to his achievements; he fought bravely alongside Castro is Cuba but then largely destroyed the Cuban economy by his policies of collectivisation, isolated Cuba from its main allly, the USSR, & led disastrous adventures into the Congo & Bolivia. He is probably considered a hero as a result of his motives rather than his results; he had a driving urge to help the impoverished, & believed that revolution & sweeping away existing political structures was the best way to achieve this. He was wrong. Most people, no matter how impoverished, simply want a better life; they do not care about the workers' control of capital or the difference between Maoism, Marxism & Trotskyism hence Che's failure in Bolivia, & , economicallly, Cuba. Che's legend endures because he died young, therefore his works, like those of Jim Morrison, are elevated & mythologised out of alll proportion. As this riveting book makes clear Guevara & Castro had a real opportunity to change Cuba for the better; the fact that even today hundreds die trying to escape the island shows the magnitude of their failure.
BRILLIANT - By: Steve, 25 Apr 2007 Anderson has written a massive biography, starting when Che was a child, he takes us from his formative years, his revolutionary awakening on his famous motorcycle trips, his revolutionary battles, through to his death in Bolivia. The book is brought alive with fascinating details & interviews, & previously unpublished writings which give a thorough insight into not only the man, but the political climate of the Cold War, & the unsavoury dealings of the CIA & KGB. It does not matter whether you agree with Che's political stance or actions, this book gives a slice of recent history which is essential to the understanding of the times he lived in, & how we got to where we are today. Excellent research & extremely readable.
Pure objective brilliance! - By: Ms. Lesa Smith, 01 Jan 2007 i have been trying to find a definitive biography of Guevara for a long time & I'm so glad that tnis was the one I chose. Don't be put off by the size of the book. Because it is written so well you won't want to put it down until the end & even then you want to know more. Anderson does slightly give Guevara a heroic image but there are times in the book where you see a different perspective on the Che icon which isn't always flattering. With exclusive information & stories from Che's family & friends as well as access to numerous files from the Cuban archive this is a must read. I would recommend reading Che's diary alongside this to get real 3 dimensional personality.
A life changing expereince! - By: Mirf!!, 31 Oct 2006 I stayed up until the early hours of last night, finishing the last 100 pages or so of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life. It feels a little weird on finishing it as this book has become a huge part of my life over the past few months!It was like watching Titanic in a way- you know the ship is going to sink but you don't want it to! That's how it felt coming to the end of the book- I knew Che was going to get captured & murdered, but I didn't want him to! This book is essential for those of you who are becoming disenchanted with Western way of life, like myself, & who wish to go out & fight against the pig that is American Imperialism (although that's being disrespectful to Pigs).
Che is a hero of mine & his legend must live on if the world is ever to change in the way he dreamed of! It has proven a life changing expereince for me as I now want to see if change is possible!! It's not often that you'll find something that can truly change your perspective on life, because I am sure most of you, like I WAS, go around on a daily basis, head stuck in the sand as to the true injustice of the world. Che was an idealist, but he also paid the ultimate sacrifice for his beliefs! How many other people would give up their lives to benefit others? How many would give up wothless material goods to pursue a better world? My guess is not many! If only. If only!! Vive Che!!!!
Buy this book & make a change!
