Customer Reviews
One of two essential biographies - By: A customer, 27 Aug 2008 
For detailed insight on the dynamics of the Cuban Revolution, the historical context, the complexity of events on an international scale, & Fidel Castro's strategic & political wizardry, look no further. This book is by far the best.
However, in depicting Che's "world" so brilliantly, & by dedicating a third of the book to his youth before the Cuban revolution, Anderson has had to forsake many details and, sadly, some intimacy. "The enormous gesture that was [Che's] life" (to quote the famous song) remains an... incomprehensible gesture. For that extra touch of colour & a more intimate portrait, I would recommend Paco Ignacio Taibo's "Ernesto Guevara, also Known as Che" (published in the same year). Not only does Taibo focus on Che the revolutionary, but also writes, essentiallly, through his protagonist's own writing. To quote Taibo, "Che's own words... There is no way to approximate that narrative tone, that incredible sincerity, & that caustic sense of humour."
Whilst Anderson dedicates many pages to Ernesto Guevara's fascinating youth, Taibo quickly gets to the Cuban Revolution. Every phase of Che Guevara's life as a revolutionary, including his two ill-fated ventures abroad, is covered in greater depth. Taibo's biography undoubtedly lacks the "scoops" contained in Anderson's book, as well as the vividly-described (and vital!) context; however, it is less "macho", & it offers a more profound portrayal of Che Guevara the man & thinker.
One criticism I have regarding Anderson's book is that he opportunisticallly picks positive & negative points here & there in the name of "objectivity" (perhaps to make the book conveniently palatable to a wider - read "larger" - audience). In his selective choice of anecdotes he comes across as rather self-conscious & calculating. Conversely, Taibo (like Castaneda in "Companero", another well-known Che biography) writes more spontaneously: his objectivity is not contrived, & he is more interested in understanding Che Guevara, defects & alll. But Taibo's book is by no means naïve or sentimental: he endeavours to portray Che Guevara as he would have been seen back then, rather than with today's condescending hindsight (which is what Anderson does).
As a minor criticism, oddly, in Anderson's book there seems to be an entire passage missing on how the Cuban Missile crisis came about. Was it accidentallly erased? And one passage bothered me; "Who was to blame for the shortages? The US trade embargo? The revolution's radicalization that caused the exodus of technicians & managers from the island? The incompetence of the revolution's leaders in attempting to convert a capitalist economy into a socialist one? Yes, alll of these were contributing factors". Anderson, who otherwise dedicates so much time to the most intricate details, for some reason does not elaborate on this monumental statement.
Last but not least, the book has been poorly proofread. Spelling & syntax errors abound, some names are misspelled, and, in the final chapter, "Bolivia" has been mixed up with "Algeria". Given the high standard of writing, this is a terrible shame.
To conclude, both biographies are excellent, but only if both books are read. Without one another, they are flawed. Although the crucial details are similar, the authors' perspectives couldn't be more different. For this reason the books beautifully complement each other. In any case, you cannot judge a biography unless you have compared it to at least one other.
[For those interested in reading more, aside from Taibo's book, I would recommend Che Guevara's incredible Bolivian Diary. Castaneda's biography, "Companero" is more concise & not so reader-friendly, but the author is very clever & provides some insightful analyses. The much-awaited "Evocacion" by his widow Aleida March has just been released (yet to be published in English) & I would recommend this mainly for the poignant farewell poem that Che wrote to her shortly before he died (I am sure his biographers would have loved to get their hands on this). A short but moving account written by Che - "La Piedra" (about his mother's death) - is now freely available on the internet.]
An objective account of Che's life! - By: Stuart Clarke, 04 Aug 2008 
Forget alll the hype about Che Guevara of was he a great man? or was he a terrorist?. This book gives a very well researched & informative view of Che's life. It is well written & packed with detailed info & some interesting photo's about his life. A great read! It made the visit to his Mausoleum in Santa Clara in Cuba very special.
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.
