Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage Original) [Paperback]

Michael Casey (Author)

Book Description

Series: Vintage Original | Publication Date: April 7, 2009

In 1960, Cuban photographer Alberto Korda captured fabled revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara in what has become history's most reproduced photo. Now Michael Casey tells the remarkable story of this image, detailing its evolution from a casual snapshot to an omnipresent graphic—plastered on everything from T-shirts to vodka to condoms—and into a copyrighted brand. As Casey follows it across the Americas and through cyberspace, he finds governments exploiting it and their dissenters attacking it, merchants selling it and tourists buying it. We see how this image is, ultimately, a mercurial icon that still ignites passion—and a reflection of how we view ourselves.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Casey, Buenos Aires bureau chief for Dow Jones Newswires, tap dances across history and the globe to examine intellectual property and iconography through the lens of the famous image of Che Guevara captured by fashion photographer Alberto Korda. Some say that only the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe, her skirt rising as she stands over a subway grate, has been more reproduced, writes Casey. The author does not neglect the relevant biographical details or history, but his focus is Che as a brand. He wants to understand why the Korda image remains so compelling to such a wide variety of people and how it continues to represent so many different (and differing) causes; he suggests that the power of Che, the brand, is in its ability to be anything to anyone. The book can feel like a disorderly amalgam of travelogue, visual criticism, biography and reportage—fragments befitting a study of globalized culture. Readers interested in the impact of visual culture or in better understanding the elusiveness of intellectual property rights, particularly in a global marketplace, will find much food for thought. (May)
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Review

“Fascinating. . . . Bracing and keenly observed. . . . Not only a cultural history of an image, but also a sociopolitical study of the mechanisms of fame.”
–Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“One of the first books on a rarely discussed aspect of Guevara–his branding and why it has endured for more than four decades. . . . Che’s Afterlife provides a detailed account of the ‘product launch’ of the Guevara brand, with Cuba’s Fidel Castro serving as ‘brand manager.’ In doing so, it offers lessons for Obama on how to rebrand the United States in Latin America.”
–The Miami Herald

“There are those who only know Fidel Castro’s comrade in arms as a commercial image festooned on fashion, bottles of booze, air fresheners and even condoms. Journalist Casey unlocks the iconic image taken by Cuban lenseman Alberto Korda in what Casey calls ‘a frozen millisecond’ in 1960 Havana.”
–New York Post

“Enthralling. . . . About as timely as a book gets. . . . Casey takes off on a quest to find the heart of the definition-of-seminal Che Guevara image. What he comes away with is a fascinating tale of the photographer, the history of the print itself and a global account of the countless places and people that exact image has touched.”
–Weekly Dig (Boston)

“Che’s Afterlife is worth the read for its historical clarity, Casey’s vivid storytelling, and his adroit analysis of the multilayered meaning of photography as both a vehicle for and a destroyer of ideals.”
–DigitalCity.com (America Online blog)

“In this entertaining and provocative book, Michael Casey takes us into the realm where Che’s martyrdom ends and his global branding begins. Che’s Afterlife is also a smart and sassy comment about our life and times; well worth the read.”
–Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life

“The definitive account of the birth and dissemination of an iconic image. . . . A riveting tale of art and ambition, of rebellion and merchandising. . . . Illuminating and essential reading.”
–Héctor Tobar, author of Translation Nation

“Lively and informative. . . . Smartly chronicles the explosive Guevara growth industry in the marketplace of ideas and icons.”
–Tom Miller, author of Trading With the Enemy

“Eagle-eyed. . . . Insightful. . . . An evocative and well-written account of All Things Che.”
–Ann Louise Bardach, author of Cuba Confidential and Without Fidel

“A tour de force of pop cultural entertainment and analysis.”
–Professor David D. Perlmutter, author of Blog Wars

“[A] notable history of how the Che Guevara brand was “produced”. . . . Innovative.”
–Jorge Castañeda, author of Compañero: The Life and Death of Che Guevara

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307279308
• ISBN-13: 978-0307279309
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #420,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, April 20, 2009

By 

Meg Murry (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage Original) (Paperback)

For anyone who's ever wondered about the real story behind the Che t-shirt, this is the book for you. Casey is a clever, witty storyteller and he takes you from the moment the photo was snapped by Alberto Korda in Havana in 1960 through to the global brand he thinks Che's photo has become today. More a book about icons and branding than a history of Che Guevara, it's well worth the read.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Enduring Spirit of Che., May 14, 2009

By 

Melanie Naylor (Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage Original) (Paperback)

This superbly executed book examines Che Guevara as global brand, repository for ideals, and deals with the many conflicting accounts of the history of Guevara and the Cuban Revolution. It interweaves the stories of the revolutionary, the powerful Korda image, with well constructed consideration of the political, economic, historical and social factors which have made Che such an enduring icon.

A thoroughly entertaining book, which balances analysis with storytelling.
Beautifully presented, and written with style and humour.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Che's Afterlife, February 11, 2010

By 

Geoffrey Rogow "Reporter" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage Original) (Paperback)

I was completely blown away by this book. To use and overused cliche, Casey is an avid storyteller that has mixed everything you'd want in a book together. I was intrigued, entertained and felt personally attached to the subject, while turning many of my preconceived notions on their head.

The argument over Che admiration that borders on deity worship is best told by someone in Casey's position. Being detached from the subject enables him to tell the story with facts and the heart of people on both sides of the debate. And the brand of Che, what it has been used for by governments, revolutionaries and even the most simple of cultures, is worth this careful examination.

As a disclaimer, I work at the same media firm as Mr. Casey, though that has not in any way shaped my views on this book. Emotional and sharply written, it's clearly a must-read for anyone who has ever worn the Che T-shirt. More broadly though, the examination of Cuban revolution through branding and economic constraints comes at just the right time in the global decoupling debate.