Companero: The Life and Death of Che Guevara | 
 enlarge | Author: Jorge G. Castaneda
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
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Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 31104
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st Vintage Books Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 496
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0679759409
Dewey Decimal Number: 980.035092
EAN: 9780679759409
ASIN: 0679759409
Publication Date: October 27, 1998
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Product Description
By the time he was killed in the jungles of Bolivia, where his body was displayed like a deposed Christ, Ernesto "Che" Guevara had become a synonym for revolution everywhere from Cuba to the barricades of Paris. This extraordinary biography peels aside the veil of the Guevara legend to reveal the charismatic, restless man behind it.Drawing on archival materials from three continents and on interviews with Guevara's family and associates, Castaneda follows Che from his childhood in the Argentine middle class through the years of pilgrimage that turned him into a committed revolutionary. He examines Guevara's complex relationship with Fidel Castro, and analyzes the flaws of character that compelled him to leave Cuba and expend his energies, and ultimately his life, in quixotic adventures in the Congo and Bolivia. A masterpiece of scholarship, Companero is the definitive portrait of a figure who continues to fascinate and inspire the world over.
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 The real life of a not-so-glorious revolutionary December 29, 2008
"Companero" is an amazing account of the life of Che Guavara. Through the eyes of its author we get to know Che, not as myth or legend, but as man. From his humble roots, severe bouts with asthma, trouble with women, sometimes dictator-like chastisement of his followers and above all sheer determination, we get to know the real Che. A true revoltutionary even to Fidel Castro himself, whom he always respected but not always agreed with, Che fought for an everyman's ideal in a country that wasn't even his motherland or birthright. He was able to welcome the good in individuals, but harshly opposed oppressors. This novel is a great welcome into the real down-to-earth introduction to a man whose myth is sometimes inflated beyond reality. After reading this amazingly well researched account of Che's life, once respects the man for not only his sheer will and determination, but also his acheivements in spite of all his, sometimes monumental, flaws. Only in death, could Che be truly set free.
 CHE GUEVARA- REVOLUTIONARY FIGHTER July 6, 2006
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the Cuban July 26th movement, the 47th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the 39th anniversary of the execution of Ernesto `Che' Guevara by the Bolivian Army after the defeat of his guerilla forces and his capture in godforsaken rural Bolivia. Thus, it is fitting to review the biography of the life of a man who stood for my generation, the Generation of '68, and for later generations as an icon of revolutionary intransigence. This writer has read a few earlier biographies of Che, which a reading of the author's footnotes will guide the reader toward, but selected this biography for several reasons. First, it was published in 1997 when, after the demise of the Soviet Union and other Eastern European states, more sources became available and thus a more rounded picture could be found for the enduring legacy of Che. Second, the author has done an excellent job of interviewing Che's associates, political opponents, fellow revolutionaries, fellow ministry workers and flat- out agents of American imperialism to get their take on Che. In fact, the author has presented a range of hypothesizes, facts and just pure guesses by these interviewees for every controversial aspect of Che's life from his troubled childhood to the still immense speculation around the circumstances of his early death under fire and in struggle.
Let us be clear about two things. First, this writer has defended the Cuban revolution since its inception; initially under a liberal democratic premise of the right of nations, especially applicable to small nations pressed up against the imperialist powers, to self-determination; later under the above-mentioned premise and also that it should be defended on socialist grounds, not my idea of socialism- the Bolshevik, 1917 kind- but socialism nevertheless. Secondly, my conception of revolutionary strategy and thus of world politics has always been far removed from Che's strategy, which emphasized military victory by guerilla forces in the countryside, rather than my position of mass action by the urban proletariat leading the rural masses. Those strategic differences will be discussed in another review in this space later concerning the fate of the Cuban Revolution. That said, despite the strategic political differences this militant can honor the memory of Che-exceptional revolutionary fighter.
Who was Che and why has he remained an icon for militant youth to this day. Obviously a brief outline of his biography reveals a very appealing rebel. In fact the chronology of his life is sometime no militant today can duplicate. The circumstances have long past that would make such experiences possible. For openers, a wayward, carefree youth who gets serious about politics in 1950's Bolivia when all kinds of upheavals are occurring; a marginal figure associated with the left in Guatemala at the time of the CIA coup against the Arbenz government; adrift in Mexico where he has a fateful meeting with the Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and signs on; various adventures and misadventures in the mountains of Cuba where he rises to the leadership of the Rebel Army; the final triumphant march in Havana in 1959; assignment to various high positions in the revolutionary government including Minister of Industries; pro-Soviet then anti-Soviet advocate; advocate of and advisor to Third World revolutionary alliances against imperialism; disillusioned state bureaucrat; failed African liberation fighter in the Congo; and finally, failed Latin American liberation fighter in Bolivia.
Youth needs, desires and deserves its heroes. In this sorry world today, unfortunately, there is an abysmal lack of role models available for those who want to storm heaven. More likely, today's models want to rain hell down on the rest of us. You have to take your heroes where you can get them. With the caveat mentioned about political differences above, Che makes a damn appealing icon for militants today.
And one has many Che's to choice from. If you read this biography you get to choice a classic Latin American revolutionary romantic of the old 19th century European type; a wayward, carefree bohemian; an errant father, a competent bureaucrat; an exceptional military field commander; an exemplar of the `new man' under socialism; a sycophantic and cruel Stalinist hack; a utopian Stalinist visionary; a counterrevolutionary Trotskyist upsetting the unity of the `socialist' bloc ; a closet Trotskyist bend on permanent revolution; an internationalist fighter to the core; and, a hail fellow well met to name a few. As for this writer, I have in the past usually seen him as the Trotsky of the second half of the 20th century. Another larger than life figure, however, seemingly doomed to oblivion by their political visions. There are many similarities in their personal makeup and in their revolutionary intransigence that made this true. Upon reflection, however, this is a more than a little wrong. The real comparison should be with the great French 19th century revolutionary democratic barricade fighter Louis Blanqui. Comparison with that figure is no mean honor. For you conspiracy theorists out there- Che is dead! However, Che's memory as a revolutionary fighter for the oppressed masses of this world lives on. And it should.
A complex man in complex times October 20, 2005
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This biography gives a detailed account of the life of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, from his childhood days in upper-middle class Argentina to his death during a completely hopeless attempt at guerrilla war in Bolivia.
Che was a complex, and certainly a driven man. He would not let impossible odds or his sometimes poor health allow to stop him. Casteneda explains very well how both his character as well as his experiences in Latin America shaped him that way. The Mexican historian succeeds in giving an excellent account of both the historical events that Che was a part of and of Che's psychological states motivating him to act in these events. The question when and how Che was transformed from a talented son of the privileged class in Argentina who liked to travel to a fierce fighter for the liberation of the proletariat is pondered at length. Along the way, the reader learns a lot about Latin American history and politics. Che's relationship with the other Cuban revolutionaries, especially Fidel Castro, as far as it is accessible for an outsider, is elaborated on.
This book is scholarly written but nevertheless very readable. Casteneda clearly has sympathies for the subject of his biography, but he is critical when it is warranted. Particularly, he points out his failures as an economist and as a military strategist: the efforts of exporting the revolution to the Congo and to Bolivia were ill conceived from the beginning, as the popular support in these places was not comparable to pre-revolutionary Cuba. Despite all these deficits, the spirit of solidarity with the world's poor and suppressed, that Che lived, impressed me as a reader and seemed to have impressed Casteneda. He finishes with a look at Che as a cultural icon, his face printed on countless T-shirts, and on the inspiration he provided for many. After reading the last page of this book one is tempted to shout whole-heartedly "Hasta la victoria siempre!"
One of the Top 3 Biographies on Guevara May 8, 2005
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
This work by jorge G. Castaneda is one of the very best biographies you can find on Ernesto Guevara by many reasons:
1. The historical chronology is accesible for everybody, but the good interpretation of those events is only at the reach of those who know the intricated aspects of diplomacy and polithics. Castaneda has done a great job understanding the polithical personalities of Guevara, Fidel, Kennedy, Kruschev and all the charachters of this saga. He signals both sides of each personality.
2. This work is obsessively well documented. Castaneda has had access to many fundamental documents for this history. From American agencies, to British and Soviet services. He takes us not only to what history says but to why the builders of history wanted it to be that way. His amount of interviews is outstanding too, the revelations on the interviews match the information on the secret documents.
3. Its difficult to confront a personality like Che Guevara without falling in his charm. Its difficult to be objective on an image that is on the chests of many generations. But Castaneda accomplishes that. He decidedly points the many mistakes that Guevara did directing the Central Bank, or the Industry Ministry. He focuses on the distance that Guevara took between idealism and dogma with economic fundamentals, this was a fatal mistake. Castaneda analyzes thoroughly how many of the guerrilla efforts of Guevara in other countries ended in failures and finally in death (Congo, Argentina, Bolivia, etc). But Castaneda also analyzes the outstanding kind of leadership that made of Guevara an icon. Fighting in the first line of fire, leading himself the voluntary work, accepting his mistakes in public (something unthinkable on Fidel, for example), building his leadership in the equity.
4. Finally, Castaneda builds strong well fundamented theories on several controversial issues like the role of Fidel in the final days of Guevara in Bolivia. The strange lecture of the farewell letter that Guevara wrote to Fidel while Che was still fighting in Congo, a lecture that reduced the polithical possibilites of Guevara in Cuba and pushed him into the craziness: Bolivia. Good or bad will from Fidel? Castaneda discusses this very well.
This is a biography that is fundamented in facts, documents and sharp interpretations. It gets very technical at certain points, like the handling of Cuban economics by Guevara.
In Paco Ignacio Taibo II biography on Che Guevara for example, Taibo focuses in the anecdotic side of the icon, its clearly a bohemian work. Taibo doesnt lie, but there are susbtantial differences in these 2 works (Taibo and Castaneda) that were done at the same time and that even shared some documents. For example, at one very interesting event they deal with the subject in very different ways. In 1961, after Bahia de Cochinos there was a OEA related meeting in Uruguay. Motivated by brazilian diplomats, Guevara meets with Kennedy's rep Richard Goodwin. A secret meeting, non authorized by Fidel or JFK. Castaneda flies to the documents, looks for the interviews, interprets and builds theories. Taibo just turns the page arguing that Goodwin overrated the meeting and that Guevara didnt give much importance to it.
By this way, you can contrast the focuses of both works which can be read as compliments. Taibo's work is very rich in anecdotes from the Sierra Maestra, or the funny things that happened to Guevara while changing the rifle for the desk in the Central Bank. You will love to read this side of Guevara. In the historical side, Taibo is accurate but not deep. His biggest achievement in historical deepness is the development of the Guevara's column since they left Sierra Maestra to the triumph in Santa Clara, this part outpowers Castaneda, but that the only thing.
Castaneda's work left me deeply satisfied, answered many questions and gave me a new panorama on the subject. My 5 stars are fair.
Literature in Jorge Castaneda's "Companero" December 16, 2004
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
Being the author a researcher and historian it is amazing the kind of writer he is. His dominion of literary sources is very evident in the ways of expression. Analogies, metaphors, references are abundant. I, personally liked a lot the ending of a chapter where he refers to War and Peace (a Russian novel turned later into a movie). Don't be afraid by this, the language I mention doesn't affect the understanding of the story. Regarding the Comandante, the remembrance of characters like Jesus Christ, Don Quixote, Nazarin or in these days Alexander comes to your mind readily. But, Women's or Gender Studies specialists take note: the "companeras" in the story can be shouted off, slapped in the face or disliked just because her features looked "somehow masculine". Rebember we are in the Sixties where the struggle for women's rights and feminist views were so important!
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