Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

This a fascinating, thoughtful and insightful study of "Guerrillero Heroico," the famous photograph of Che Guevara taken by Alberto Korda on March 5, 1960. Without ever losing sight of the political and ideological ironies underpinning the legacy of the photo, Michael Casey has developed a clear-eyed narrative of the photo's cultural history; including its uses as propaganda, art, intellectual property, spiritual talisman and a conveyor of sacred values.

Shelved appropriately in the "Cultural Studies" section of bookstores, this is decidedly not a political science book or a lopsided polemic. Nor is it an extended exercise in art criticism. The central story, which involves the evolution of an icon, is not one that can be easily shunted into previously existing genres. In a sense, there is no template for writing this story and Casey does a phenomenal job of elucidating his subject while showing unwavering respect for those most invested (emotionally and financially) in Guerrillero Heroico.

A short time before Michael Casey's "Che's Afterlife" began its print run, The New York Times ran a two-paragraph story noting that global news agency The Associated Press was demanding that artist Shepard Fairey give it "credit and compensation" for his transformation of a 2006 photograph of then presidential candidate Barack Obama into the "ubiquitous" black, red, blue and white image known as the "Hope" poster.
Anyone picking up Casey's wonderfully insightful and compelling biography of an icon - that of the arguably more ubiquitous image of Ernesto "Che" Guevara taken by Cuban photographer Alberto Korda - could easily recognize what is at stake in the skirmish between the AP and the artist. As Casey notes, the Korda image was similarly transformed by a folk artist in 1967, essentially providing the template for the two-tone representation we know today. This flattened, easily-reproduced image has become, Casey asserts, "the quintessential postmodern icon - anything to anyone and everything to everyone." That his book should be published hard on the heels of the emergence of the Hope poster is a bit of sublime synchronicity that makes his book all the more immediate and relevant to readers today.
As a photographer and former public relations manager, it was easy to agree with Casey's observations as to the power of imagery, particularly in today's world, and the importance of managing the meaning behind an image. In recent weeks, I've come across stories in The New York Times and in American Airlines' in-flight magazine sternly warning readers - who are presumably job security conscious in these fraught times - about the importance of creating, promoting and protecting their own image, especially through social media such as LinkedIn, MySpace, and Facebook.
Casey's tale is also a cautionary tale. It notes that, as purely public domain, the Korda image of Che has come to be owned by us all, with little regard for what Guevara actually believed and fought for. Casey naturally weaves the story of Che's brief life throughout his work, succinctly revealing the icon's evolution away from the reality of the man. He also traces the absurd path of the Korda image from forgotten snapshot to global icon in a style that strongly reminds me of Mark Kurlansky's similarly quirky but wonderfully readable "1968", as well as Malcolm Gladwell's groundbreaking "The Tipping Point," which is aptly quoted in Che's Afterlife in examining the icon's remarkable ascendance in global consciousness.
Much like Kurlansky, Casey has produced a book with compelling relevance. He correctly writes that political leaders of any stripe now must become adept at branding and image-making (and I would add risk mitigation and brand protection) to succeed in an information-driven capitalist society. Much like the soda sellers and T-shirt makers of whom he writes, Casey has himself found a use for Korda's Che image, a tightly-written and fun exploration of our affinity for heroes and the scant heed we sometimes pay to the reality behind the imagery.

Che's Afterlife

By Michael Casey. Vintage Books, 388 pages. $15.95 dollars. KEL books, 80 pesos.
Reviewed by Stephen Page

Michael Casey has obviously researched his subject well, and he writes in a vivid manner that allows the reader to "see" the people and scenes portrayed. His writing style is anticipatory, which keeps the reader turning the pages to learn how Che's image became an icon.

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This review first published in the Buenos Aires Herald:
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I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a fascinating journey with an amazing set of characters. While journalistic in form, I found it philosophical by nature. The image (and the story of this book) does tell us more about ourselves than Che. Even for those of us who live a world away from the Andes and the struggles of bygone years, the image of Che is part of the lives of so many of us. Following Casey walk in the footsteps of Che makes a ripping yarn in itself. Viva Che's Afterlife. Viva!

This book was oneof the major sources for the recent film about the universalization of the Che image by Korda. Obviously there is much more detail here. The author does exaggerate un poco.

After reading so much about Che Guevara , it is fascinating to have him analyzed in such a detailed way and to read about how his spirit lives on . The author, Michael Casey, accomplishes this in a very objective style. Since I can never meet Che Guevara, it would be neat to meet the author. Elaine

As someone who battles with an often-flighty attention span, Che's Afterlife came as a welcome non-fiction read, being both satisfyingly detailed and highly entertaining. Throughout, it balances assuredly on that tricky line between readability and intelligent analysis - in this case, of the global phenomenon that is Korda's ubiquitous photo of Che.
Michael Casey also manages to insert a remarkable sense of fun and humour into his well-crafted novel, revelling in the almost unbelievable evolution of the original image into an all conquering global brand. The meticulously researched book pulses with an energy too, drawing richly from the various locations it wanders through. Here the historical background is rendered not with dry information but with humid jungles and Parisian riots.

In short, Casey's book on the globe-trotting image is intelligent, fun and blessed with an assured energy that makes coming back to it anything but a chore. The blight of many non-fiction efforts.