Customer Reviews

Compañero: vida y muerte del Che Guevara

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Este libro presenta de forma organizada la vida del Che desde su nacimiento hasta su muerte y la situacion politica,economica familiar que le rodeaba.Va mas alla de la leyenda para ver el hombre y el revolucionario detras de ella.Analiza en una forma objetiva sus pensamientos y su trascendencia despues de su muerte.En fin creo que quien quiera conocer la figura del Che,este es un excelente libro para hacerlo.

Having read about half a dozen biographies on Che Guevara (written by a myriad of authors with different perspectives & objectives), I can confidently say that it is Castaneda, an eminent political scientist, who has written the most elegant and constructive evaluation of the life of Che Guevara. Although the book lacks the baroque detail of, say, Anderson's or Taibos' acclaimed biographies, Castaneda makes a moving and profound analysis. And unlike Anderson, who, as a somewhat mercenary journalist, comes across as calculating and contrived in his so-called "objectivity", Castaneda's sincerity shines like a beacon.

The only negative point of "Companero" is that the first half of the book appears to be somewhat rushed compared to the dazzling second half. Castaneda clearly prefers to write about Che Guevara from 1959 onwards. However, this criticism does not detract me from giving this book the five stars it deserves.

Because "Companero" is more of an "evaluation" than a full-blown biography, it lacks the detail of Anderson's, or the profound intimacy of Taibo's, books, so if you have time, read at least one of these first.

Another book I would highly recommend is the newly-released "Evocacion", written by Che Guevara's widow, containing a selection of previously-unpublished letters, including a heartrending, prophetic and immensely revealing poem written to her before he died. I can only presume that Castaneda, Anderson and Taibo's biographies would have been quite different had the authors come across this material at the time of writing their books. In fact, I suspect that Che Guevara's wife decided to finally release it after reading these biographies (notably Anderson's) - in order to close the circle once and for all.

It's a good book. But the only thing why I rate it with 3 stars is that the author tries to discover the reason why Ernesto Guevara de la Serna became the Comandante "Che" Guevara using logical reasoning and history. Sometimes things have no logic. Che is an icon, trying to unwrap his image is like trying to unveil the secret of how life begins. No one knows except God.

Explodes the myth of Che Guevara as you thought you knew him, while opening a new level of charisma for those who loved him and his ideals. A must reading for students of the sixties that is a real eyeopener. A believeable biography written with a distinct Latin mindset that will not allow you to put it down. Che Vive!

El Che fue sin duda un personaje contradictorio, por un lado el revolucionario idealista, por el otro un frio burocrata manejado por la disciplina. Esta biografia lo describe como el ser humano que era, inclusive sus fallas, que al fin lo condenaron a un tragico fin. Aunque el autor cubre un campo imenso con sus multiples entrevistas y sinumero de referencias, la objetividad sin embargo, resulta en una biografia carente de emocion. Esta es una biografia cientifica, y hace falta un poco de brio para dar vida a un personaje tan lleno de suenos e idealismo.