Tag Archives: Che

Recommended Reading

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Title: La vida por un mundo mejor – Che
Author: Pacho O’Donnell
Editor: Editorial Sudamericana
ISBN: 950-07-2375-1
Comments: I bought this book while waiting in Buenos Aires bus station before heading towards Puerto Iguazu, one of the last sites I visited during my trip through Argentina.
Being really honest I just started having some interest by the life and work of Ernesto Guevara – by the way this book is a biography of Che Guevara, who participated in the Cuban Revolution – after watching the movie Motorcycle Diaries, listening to Daniel’s (an anthropologist friend of mine) thoughts on him, being at the show Kevin Johansen gave in Miramar, and because the book I was reading at the time (Las venas abiertas de America Latina – by Eduardo Galeano), where the author mentioned Che a few times, firing up my curiousity. Before that I didn’t have much idea of him apart from knowing he fought next to Fidel Castro and that everyone seems to have a t-shirt with his portrait on… but no better place to find a character than on his own birthplace (yes Ernesto Guevara was born in Argentina not Cuba)!
When I saw the book standing there I just bought it, also because I was finishing the one from Eduardo Galeano.
It is a masterpiece, where Che is presented not only as a guerrillero (warrior) but also as a human, a thinker and a genius and tremendous visionary of his time. It shows the successes and failures of this historical icon tracing back his path, from his diaries and statements from the mouths of his friends and enemies and an eloquent and extensive research made by the author. A remarkable book for a remarkable man.

Bus Diaries (?)

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It wasn’t really like the motorcycle diaries. First because I’m not Ernesto “Che” Guevara, second I didn’t have a “Poderosa” (name given to the motorcycle by Alberto Granado), and third my journey was of 5 months and not 8.
Although, like Che I’m also 23 at the date of the journey and has those 2 men I also saw things that lead me to question the value of progress as defined by economic systems that leave so many people beyond their reach.
I discovered the real Latin America in the people I meet on the road, the diverse geography I encountered is reflected on my own shifting perspectives. Is all still confusing but I’ll get the significance of it in the end; eventually. What I realize now is that this experience will be the starting mark of a re-defining of ethical and political fundaments on a longer journey, my life.

I intend to start writing not a diary but a “memoriam” of all the diverse spectrum of stimulus that Latin America offered me. I will tried to resume all that voyage into a manuscript that can transcend my emotions, experiences, lessons learned, and social perspectives. It will be written into a series of small paper/titles (that will include the already online article about the 1st month I spent in Uruguay) detailing the facts that I lived and had a huge impact in me. One thing I know for sure, I have to get back there and unfold some more of its secrets, there I lost a love but found another!
I’m still writting driven by will and inspiration, trying to get some of me into a scratch of paper …