The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey

This was a really interesting read and gives an insight as to what made him into the future guerilla revolutionary. Can quite understand his reasoning although I am not of the same opinion.

The mythology attached to this book is incredible. One has to detach what one knows of Guevara's later life and examine the text as written by a young man on the cusp of great things, but still evolving a world-view. Indeed, anyone looking for politics and revelation should look elsewhere, as there are few passages devoted to that element, aside from the final chapter, which is powerfully eloquent.The Diaries are full of the misery of a hand-to-hand existence, where the daily struggle to find or talk their way into a meal is paramount. The logistical puzzle of how to get from A to B is also never far from the surface. These passages, where the beauty of the landscape is drawn, are some of the more memorable passages. So too the descriptions of villages, towns and ancient cities that the two friends encounter, especially in Peru.Guevara is a fine writer, selecting expressions that assist us to see what he saw, to feel the poverty and guess at the squalor of existence that he saw on display along his journey. Clearly, this shaped Guevara's attitude. An important book, shorter than I had imagined, but well worth your time.

This book, written by Ernesto Guevara using the journal he kept during his Latin American travels with the now sadly deceased Alberto Granado, should be of great interest to communists,socialists,explorers,and historians. We get a brief background and then most of the book is from the start of "Che"'s journey to the end, with well articulated descriptions and incisive observations, as well as moments of genuine humour. It really does provoke vivid images of the Americas, and gives, as many have said, a more human side to the famous revolutionary. The journey seems to have consisted mainly of hitchhiking, scrounging food and various strange mishaps- but make ni mistake, this is a great read, plenty of interesting anecdotes and dynamic new experiences, against a backdrop of the surely the most captivating and alluring part of America.

This is a book in many parts, it’s more a revised blog than a diary as it doesn’t itemise the days, rather it covers short periods of travel as Che tried to turn it into more of a narrative a year later before setting off on another 2 year trek. It spans from December 1951 to August 1952 as Che and his older friend Alberto travel Latin America on a temperamental 1939 Norton 500cc motorbike.At 165 pages [plus 24 pages of black & white pictures] this is generally an easy read but using a good map adds a lot to the understanding. The ‘diary’ actually starts on page 31, the earlier pages being introductions and contents information. Much of the route is easy to follow but a lot has changed over the years. However, it is still possible to make out the bulk of their route despite some translation errors and Argentinian spellings of place names. Bluffing their way along [before the Pan American Highway was completed] the pair manage to stay in varying places from railway stations [some now ruins and the population gone], army barracks, police stations, fire stations, numerous hospitals, even staying with family friends and acquaintances that they meet along the way to camping rough at lakesides [which are now almost all campsites].Well worth getting a copy if you’re remotely interested in ‘Che’ or Latin America in the 1950s but not really a travel guide in itself nor does it show him becoming a radical as the publicity suggests [he was already radicalised before the journey, Alberto even more so] and the political commentaries present are clearly written much later as the writing style is totally different. It does however show a professional [Che qualified as a Dr the following year] 23 year old who’s in conflict with his past and uncertain about his future in a continent undergoing rapid change. The second half [as they leave Chile and have to hitch-hike] becomes more critical and condemning of society and its clearly been heavily ‘tweaked’ but its still possible to see the growing tensions between the two companions as the journey wears on. Che’ revolutionary halo definitely slips in this.

The Dairies of "Ernesto" are very interesting and informative; but at the mid stage there are some chapters which have obviously been " Cut and Pasted" from text book. These give a background of the country, history etc, at this stage I felt as if I was reading from a lecture notes.

The blurb on the back of the version I read states "His trip might have been the adventure of a lifetime - had his lifetime not turned into a much greater adventure," and it is true, this would have been a great adventure of a lifetime. I found myself at times laughing, moaning in sympathy and cheering. It is easy to see the beginning of the revolutionary. Four stars.However, I have a few minor complaints about the book- or at least the version I read. One would be the number of Preface's, chronologies, maps and introductions at the start of the book. One introduction alone takes up fifteen pages, and reads more like an academic paper a History student at University might write. <-- This leads me to my second complaint. This mini academic paper would have been better placed at the end of the book, as it uses several quotes and examples from the diaries themselves which make no sense unless you have read the diaries themselves, ergo, why is it at the beginning where these quotes and examples would make no sense?Otherwise, a great read and well worth the money spent.

I can'twait to read vol 2 as well as the Bolivian diaries

Poesia

Che is a great personality in the history of this world. This book is about his journey on motorbike before he became the mass leader. Book is worth reading to understanding about the transformation of his personality towards welfare of human kind. Sentences are easily understandable. This is my first book about Ernesto and I am looking forward for some other book as well which will explore more about his latter journey.

Great book, well worth reading

I loved this book for many reasons, and strongly recommend it. It attracted me because I have just traveled to Cuba, and had been to many of the other countries and places listed in this book. The idea of a man getting up one day with a close friend and spontaneously deciding to set off on a continental motorcycle tour was also appealing because of the adventure and travel aspects. This book exceeded all the expectations I had for it. Che Guevara’s writing style is unlike anything i had read before. The artful, beautiful way he describes everything from landscapes to his patients makes the reader feel like they are living the experiences he is, sometimes in a deeper way than the reader may have experienced themselves. Che dives into each topic or picture he sees with great emotion and personal opinion while at the same time leaving some space for the readers opinions and ideas to take form. You get the historical sense of what is being observed, with facts provided (the architechture and stories behind the churches in Lima and Cuzco) while at the same time getting Che's somewhat romanticized take on it. There is a great amount of action- (for example the dog scene, the boat scene, and motorcycle breakdowns), contrasted with the demonstration of the social problems of Latin America (racism, poverty, indecent health care). It is fascinating to see Che develop as a social being, and to see how he transforms from a freshly graduated medical student to an iconic revolutionary, while also seeing the primary discussions evolve from strictly landscapes to issues and people stories much like HONY. I read this book for an english class assignment, and have already found myself recommending it to others multiple times. I think its interesting to have read if you are following USA/Cuba relations right now.