The Motorcycle Diaries (Movie Tie-in Edition) : Notes on a Latin American Journey

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I grew up in Loma Linda, a University town with a medical school. I never heard of anybody taking off on a motorcycle, even after graduation, for a journey like this. But Che Guevara was an exception to the rulers. The young (Everything he did was young--he didn't live to see 40.) Ernesto "Che" Guevara, left the university & his life of privilege for seven months on the road, touring South America, first on a motorcycle, then as a vagabond, with his compadre Alberto.

The two of them posed as Argentinian Doctors, specialists in the treatment of leprosy. This gained them food and lodging, as well as special treatment at times. It also gained them face-to-face experience with the impossible living conditions of people suffering from this disease.

Alberto & Che traveled on their own resources. When money got tough, they scammed & stowed-away, sometimes even working for a meal, but they didn't cable home for money or assistance. During this experience, Che became personally acquainted with the poverty and disempowerment prevalent in South America.

Reading the book was a delightful experience. Che has a poetic way with words. He doesn't take himself too seriously, telling tales of purloined wine, of scamming for sustenance, of bravely shooting a "puma" in the dark of night. By daylight it turned out to have been a local rancher's dog. He tells of hiding with a shipment of melons, hoping to stow away on a boat, but getting busted when sailors noticed melon rinds floating by the dock. Ernesto & Alberto were indeed a couple of scallywags, but loveable, the kind you'd sit down with for a stein of beer or a cup of mate.

This book tells a human story, one that's unselfconscious enough to be truly enjoyable. Almost enough to make me want to sell the house, buy a motorcycle ...

The hooks are obvious: charismatic revolutionary Che Guevara on a continent spanning motorcycle trip of South America. However, this book is by Ernesto Guevera, a 23 year old middle-class medical student looking for a break from his studies, and the motorcycle doesn't last through two countries. It is a rare glimpse into the young mind of a major cultural revolutionary. The book is also a unique look into the everyday life of South America in the middle of the 20th century. The point of view is of sons of privilege wandering the countryside and living off the land. Sometimes they are encountering the workers and experiencing their simple hospitality and honest struggles. At other times, they rely on their social class and education to open doors to more polite society. What I found compelling about this book is that in such a brief work the author was able to present a sweeping portrait of South American life. it was, for me, a wonderfully human introduction to the people and lands of this vast continent.

I think the title of this book was a calculated effort to sell this book to people like me--people who care more about motorcycles than revolutionaries. If you pick it up determined to read about a guy who rode a motorcycle all over South America, you'll be disappointed. If you're seeking an adventure touring story, you won't be. I finished the book in a few hours and walked away glad I didn't give up when a youthful Che's motorcycle broke for good 30 pages into the book. The rest detail the travels of Che and a friend, total slackers posing as doctors and leprosy experts (which they were, in loose senses of the words), as they scam their way across the continent by hitching rides, sucking up to cops and brown-nosing anyone with food, booze and a warm place to sleep. The reader gets the feeling that this journey was perhaps the defining experience in Che's pre-revolutionary life, and that his worldview really came into focus based on the things--beauty, oppression, generosity, treachery--that he saw on his bohemian-style trip. This compelling read changed my impression of the man we call Che--much for the better.

Those nostalgic for leftist propaganda will no doubt find solace and meaning in this book. In that case, there is little sense in preaching to the choir. Now, for those simply curious to read about the face that adorns your T-shirt or perhaps seeking a more balanced view of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, you will most certainly not find what you are looking for in this book.

Guevara was a failure. His ignominious inability to foment revolution in Africa and South America is well documented. More importantly, far from being the humane and compassionate apostle admired by college professors everywhere, Guevara was directly responsible for a host of atrocities in the wake of the Cuban Revolution. An estimated 2000-4000 Cubans met their end via firing squads (without any hint of due process I might add) organized by Che. The man was also instrumental in setting up internment camps for those deemed enemies of the revolution; to label him Castro's Himmler (certainly not the first person to suggest this) would be an accurate historical analogy. He was in essence not much more than a misguided, bloodthirsty thug responsible for destroying countless lives, a sad character of which history is replete. Che would no doubt detest being remembered for his senseless trip in a motorcycle and would instead relish the glory and honor of rounding up prisoners to put before firing squads; after all, it was his revolutionary duty.

It would behoove those enlightened enough to seek the "truth" to search elsewhere and I will gladly point you in another direction. "Journey to the Heart of Cuba" by Carlos Alberto Montaner is an excellent starting point. Daniel James' "Che Guevara: A Biography," is a refreshing alternative to the typical romanticized Guevara biography. "Cuba: Order and Revolution" by Jorge I. Dominguez provides another masterful account of the Cuban Revolution. "Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976" by Piero Gleijeses not only touches upon Guevara's bungling misadventures in Africa but also covers an often neglected chapter of the Cold War.

Again, I can only hope that those reading this will reflect before joining the pathetic cult of the `Che' and forking down $ for a lousy shirt.

The Motorcycle Diaries is yet another attempt to re-write history and repackage a terrorist. Che was a mentally inbalanced man who by the time he arrived in Cuba, was full of hate, and with his hand killed dozens and ordered the death of thousands. Personally a racist who had antipathy for Indians and people of African ancestry, Che Guevara was a selfish man who did not value others views or lives.

His policies caused the collapse of the Cuban economy, the persecution of thousands and the painful separation and exile of over a million people. Ruthless, cold blooded and calculating he was Fidel Castro's main henchman, who early in the Revolution terrorised and eliminated everyone who could challenge his Marxist Leninist ideas. Leftists and socialists love and adore him beause he was the most visible anti-American terrorist to come out of the Cuban Revolution.

The main goal of Che Guevara was not peace and love, but hate and destruction. His view of social change was the imposition by brute force of communist/socialist ideals. Anyone who lived through his terror can clearly explain the truth. His hate of US Democracy, and the free market system was his driving force. Those who follow him today use his image to gain inspiration and continue with the same goals! Those who are not aware of his past, need to know the truth by reading more than just this one sided book.

This book is not a romantic account of a young idealist, but a carefully crafted propaganda tool. Imagine finding romanticism in a movie of a young Adolf Hitler riding in a motorcycle around Andalucia in the 1920's and deciding that the poor Gypsies where oppressed and in need of help in order to lift themselves from poverty and remove the yoke foreign Bankers had on Spain. As a result, the idealistic, kind and moral young Hitler returns to Germany and begins creating the Nationalist Socialist Party (Nazi Party) in order to proceed with his plans to help the helpless and oppressed. This book on Che Guevara, is the same kind of garbage, for those with little brains who want to believe in anything Anti-American.

Over time, Che Guevara has emerged as a larger than life figure. It's difficult not to spot someone wearing a Che t-shirt in downtown Lima or Mexico City. The film, "The Motorcycle Diaries," attempted to tap into the cult of Che Guevara, and also create a road movie in the tradition of such Hollywood films as "Easy Rider," "Thelma and Louise," and "Rain Man."

While I enjoyed the cinematic version of "Motorcycle Diaries," the book is even better because it's more honest. Reading Che's notes about his Latin American journey allows one to see first-hand how his revolutionary consciousness begins to develop over time from his chance encounters with numerous dispossessed peoples. I decided to read this book after a recent trip to Peru and was astounded by how accurate Guevara's observations are even today. The bourgeois still sip coffee in their gated communities in Lima while the poor suffer horribly in the countryside, either mining or trying the eek out a living from the harsh land.

This book, though, also contains the humor and adventure one would expect from a classic travelogue. That he and his companion had very little money on the trip and had to rely on their wits and the kindness of strangers to survive makes this book that much better. Unlike many modern travel writers, who stay in five star hotels, and write glowing descriptions of their surroundings for "Travel and Leisure," Che slept with pigs, traveled with cows, and suffered constantly from the elements and frequent asthma attacks. In short, there's often not much physical separation between him and the poor people he observes, and that makes for a better yarn. Regardless of what you think of Che and the revolution he ultimately helped to lead, this book should be read by anyone interested in traveling to South America.

although this book was edited by che some time after returning from south america, he acknowledges this at the beginning of the book by saying, "the person who wrote these notes died the day he stepped back on argentine soil. the person who is reorganizing and polishing them, me, is no longer me, at least i'm not the me i was." and in the next paragraph, commenting on how people might interpret his words he states, "i present a nocturnal picture, you have to take it or leave it, it's not important. unless you know the landscape my diary photographed you've no option but to accept my version." it doesn't get much more simple than that. take me or leave me, i don't care.

i read the pages of "the motorcyle diaries," and was completely blown away! i wanted to be right there on la poderosa with che and his amigo, alberto - drinking at all the dives; conversing with the people; playing soccer with whatever team, in whatever town/country they happened to be; scamming places to eat and sleep, and making their way across the continent on the back de la poderosa until, bless her little hot-rod heart, she literally came apart. then, it was hitching, stowing away on boats, and, finally, floating downriver atop a not-so-navigable homemade raft, the whole while surrounded by the mystery and beauty of wild and mountainous south america. it was an awesome adventure to share! che's writing style is so conversational, and his wit will run up on you like a hairpin turn. i laughed out loud so many times. might i suggest you get a map of south america before turning the cover of this fantastic, freaking adventure. believe me, you'll get so wrapped up in it that you'll want to pinpoint each madcap pitstop. en fin, this is a tale of a grand adventure, of determination, willpower, curiousity, and guts. a great first read of the che. he was a believer in the underdog. sin duda.

If like me, you are one of those people who always wondered about the real thing behind a young man from Argentina who became such an influential character in the world and a major threat to global capitalism, I highly recommend reading this book. There is no mention of how Che Guevara became one of the top leaders in the Cuban revolution and a catalyst in many movements throughout the world, including Baader-Meinhof (Red Army Faction) in Germany, the Red Brigade in Italy as well as in many other countries in South America and Africa. This book, however, will share the experience of a passionate individual who was truly moved by the human suffering and was determined to do something about it. In short, it was not his strategies as much as his love and respect for all beings that made him the "Che" we know.

Not being a huge fan of Marxism (not practical), I truly believe that a Gandhian (non-violent) Che Guevara would turn the world into a substantially better place for all. But the good news is that there is a Che in every one of us. What we generally lack, however, is the courage and the conviction to set him free. So we resort to reading books about our favorite heroes, watching the society's problems on our big plasma screen HDTV and hoping that the next guy will do something about it.

I also highly recommend "The Motorcycle Diaries" movie.

Browsing through books, you don't expect to recieve the kind of shock I did when reading reviews on Guevara's "Motorcycle Diaries". I have a minority opinion, which saddens me not becuase it isn't popular here - but because others have read only the inspiring part's of Che's life. Not to discourage reading on this side of his life, but for a complete picture - read about his other actions. Are murderers inspiring rebels? Someone who sentenced Cubans to death because they fought for the very rights we enjoy daily in this country is a hero? Sure, be inspired by an awesome travel story - and even by a young person who wanted to make much needed changes - but please, do not be inspired by his later actions. An executioner is not someone to look up to. This book is a manifesto, a 50 year tardy soviet script, and should be acknowledged as such.

In October I went to Cuba and began to learn a tremendous amount about Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Just before reading this book I read two other by him, Reminiscences of a Cuban Revolution and The Che Guevara Reader. If you want to know the man before the revolution, this is the book to read. It is a very interesting book. It is details his trip from his home in Argentina around much of South America. It reads at times like a travel guide which is what I suppose people would write in their travel diaries - what they see and what they thought. My favorite parts were when Guevara told what he thought of life and his experiences while on the road. He writes of the low opinion many people have of the indigenous populations, the exploitation of the land and the populace and the suffering he and his traveling companion endured. The are also very light moments of frivolity and fun. You truly get a sense of who he is and what he values. I was left wanting more, not for want of lack of description but because I wanted to know of who he was. He was a remarkable figure and an great writer. He paints quite a picture with his words.

Were Che Guevara not an icon for revolutionists the world over, this book would probably have found only a limited audience. It would not, by almost any metric, be considered great literature, despite Guevara's undeniable ability to wax poetic in many passages. It lacks the storyline drama of an Easy Rider. There is no haunting climax, no personal epiphany, no extraordinary hero or heroine. It is, simply put, a journalistic product of one young man who set out on an adventure that took him through much of South America a half-century ago. A similar book might have been written by any number of other young men who have had the courage, the means, the lack of constraining responsibilities, and perhaps the naiveté, to drop everything else, jump on a motorcycle and head for the sunset-destination vague.

But Che is a world-renowned figure. His important role in the Cuban revolution of the 1950's is well known, as is his subsequent efforts to continue the revolution in Africa and South America. His brutal assassination at the hands of the Bolivian military and American CIA only assured the perpetuation of his legend, creating a martyr in the cause of liberation for oppressed peoples everywhere, especially in Latin America. To me, his beliefs and his fate are reminiscent of Trotsky's murder in Mexico, a result of the latter's belief that the Russian revolution was unfinished.

During the last ten years, I have logged 50,000 miles cruising a sailboat along the Pacific coast of the Americas, spending considerable lengths of time in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Ecuador. A favorite activity of mine is to question local people in these Latin countries about their political attitudes and opinions. Of special interest to me is their feelings about the United States and its people. At this point, I've learned enough to consolidate the prevailing attitudes into a few general remarks:

Despite wide differences in the GNP of these countries, the populations are all divided into two distinct and obvious major classes: the haves and the have-nots. The gap is wide, much wider than most U.S. citizens would be ready to believe. Despite pretensions of democratic governments, all of these countries are really oligarchic, controlled and run by a small number of wealthy people. A larger GNP simply means that the rich are richer. Little real wealth manages to "trickle down" to the common citizen. At the very bottom of the pecking order are the remaining indigenous Indian peoples.

The prevailing attitude toward the U.S. can be stated succinctly: "Americans" are generally liked; "America" and its foreign policies are not! I noted a prime example of this sentiment while spending six months in Ecuador last year. The man on the street thought it was a great thing that the U.S. had established an air force base in Ecuador. Why? Simply because all Americans are considered to be wealthy and, by local Latin standards, they are. An American, whether soldier or tourist, spends money, and this is perceived to boost local economies. Much of the economy of these third world countries is dependent on U.S. influence and policies. As my Mexican dentist has remarked on several occasions: "When the U.S. economy gets a minor cold, Mexico catches pneumonia!"

On the other hand, U.S. involvement in Latin American affairs over the years has not made us many friends among the common people. In their eyes, the U.S. has a long and consistent history of supporting oppressive dictators, subverting popular political movements and, when necessary, financing paramilitary death squads and/or arranging for the assassination of political leaders who dare to oppose perceived U.S. interests-interests that purport to establish "stable" governments and a lucrative business climate for U.S. companies, and little else. In just the past few decades, U.S. activities in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Chile have only served to validate these views of the common people. More recently, G.W. Bush's approach to-or lack of-foreign policy has been throwing fuel into the flames of resentment. Outside the U.S., our involvement in Iraq is almost unanimously viewed as just one more example of American bullying of a small country.

Although it is not great literature, this is a book I would urge every American to read, regardless of his or her political persuasion. It is important for Americans to understand that revolutions don't "just happen," and that revolutionaries are not born to the cause. The motive forces behind revolutions are poverty, injustice and oppression. Most people only want to live simple, uncomplicated lives and, given the basic necessities of life, are not likely to revolt.

If you are a "right-winger," you should read this book in order to better understand your enemy. Left-wingers will largely empathize with these accounts of the formative years in Guevara's life. Complacent middle-of-the-road readers will gain a broader understanding of the world around them, an understanding that is sadly lacking in most of the American media on which they depend for information.

Guevara was no Shakespeare or Tolstoy and, at the time he toured South America, he was no revolutionary. His redeeming qualities, revealed clearly in The Motorcycle Diaries, were his honesty and candor. Trained as a doctor in his native country of Argentina, he was, by Latin American standards, a bourgeois kid out for a joyride. But, by the time he returned to Argentina, as he states in the diaries, he was not the same man. His contact with oppressed peoples had a profound impact on his worldview. He felt sympathy for poor copper miners, had compassion for the lepers who had been outcast by their societies, sorrowed at the deaths of children due to lack of the most basic of medical resources, and experienced the haughty condescension of most of the upper class people he encountered. Whatever your opinion of Che Guevara, it is undeniable that his spirit lives on in the world, and I can assure you that it will continue to survive as long as poverty and oppression exist in any corner of the globe. As long as the world continues on its present course, you will hear: "Vive Che!"

It reminded me a little of Mark Twain's
travel books and some of Hemingway. They were both better writers.
The translator appears to be British or Canadian which doesn't help a lot ( lorries
all the way through for trucks or whatever else they were?).
You can't claim he was a civil right activist: his comments
about the South American Indians show he wasn't very much interested in other than those with
Spanish heritage. I've read Hitler's book from prison , Gandhi's works and some of Marx.
All are better political writers than Che here.
This fellow comes off as an opportunist who happens to be a doctor
with a bad case of asthma. I think he was an educated man and very intelligent.
Is there some other better example of his mature writing?
I don't think this does a fair job of representing him.
His only redeeming feature was his involvement in treatment of leprosy.
From this book he comes off as a bum and a con-man.

I was familiar with Che Guevara-the legend, the poster-before I read "The Motorcycle Diaries," but only vaguely. The book is a revelation. I would like to know more about its publishing history. Was it widely read? When was it first available in the United States (I almost said "America," but after reading Guevara's eloquent plea for a United Latin America, I won't make that mistake again)? This tale of two friends from a middle-class background-one a medical student, the other a biochemist-hitting the road on a beat-up motorcycle ("La Poderosa II-the Mighty One) is both archetypal and mythic. The discoveries they make are of a type that look forward to the men they will turn out to be. Guevara continued to travel the rest of his life, even after he had married and fathered two children. He died at a tragically young age, 39, in mysterious circumstances, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Bolivia. The book is often poorly edited (I found a number of typos), but the Ocean Press edition more than compensates by providing several helpful features, including a chronology of Guevara's life, an introductory essay by his daughter, and a speech to medical students (potential "revolutionaries") from 1960. Together, these features provide a much-needed context, especially for readers unfamiliar with Latin American history. But the charm of the book lies in its evocation of the youthful "Che," who is in so many ways a typical, as he puts it, "child" of his environment-the highly politicized Argentina of the Peron era. The epiphany he achieves on his physical journey through post-colonial Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela is both a spiritual and a prophetic one: "I now knew...I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I would be with the people." But don't be put off. Along the way, he and Alberto Granado have a raft of adventures, often side-splitting, and the editors have provided a couple of dozen photographs from the journey to keep you "in the picture." Above all, Guevara's personal charisma shines through the pages of this beautifully written book, which provides welcome insight into the heart and mind of a true revolutionary and man of the people.

In anticipation of the new film, the previews of which cast an intoxicating spell beyond its obvious travelogue aspects, I wanted to read the original source, Che Guevara's diary of the cross-continental journey he took with his best friend Alberto Granado. What I found is a book whose voice is purely that of a young man looking for his place in the world. There are many books of this ilk around, but obviously what makes this one resonate is Guevara's history after the end of this diary - doctor, Marxist revolutionary alongside the more politic Castro, Cuba's minister of industry, martyr for the Communist cause shot by a firing squad in Bolivia, photogenic icon emblazoned on T-shirts and college dorm posters.

It's a slim volume, mostly observational as would be reasonable to expect from a 24-year old. By no means is the book deeply introspective, as an older man would probably write in nostalgic hindsight. The young Che describes his and Granado's race around South America on a Norton motorbike, and true to someone whose world was ahead of him, he makes broad generalizations about everything he sees - the sight of a stag running as a symbol of the calm before the storm, the political unrest in Chile, the police state he felt Peru was becoming. As road trip stories go, this is decent if rather callow. But what saves the book from being purely youthful treacle is the increasingly darker tone the book takes foreshadowing his development into a revolutionary. Granted it ends far too short of his true achievements to be meaningful as biography, it helps to keep in mind where his life was about to lead. This new edition also has a nice expanded foreword by his daughter Aleida and lots of previously unpublished photos taken by Guevara and Granado on their journey. Definitely worth seeking out if you want to understand the beginning of Che's myth but not if you want political biography.

The text of the original motorcycle diaries gives a strong sense, much more than the movie, of the factors that influenced this artist/activist as young man. Idealistic, cheeky, sexually libidinous, political, strong minded. Che and his older companion set off on a wild journey across South America. The wretched poverty they witness across that continent - especially when he shares a blanket with a destitute beggar high up on the Andean Sierra - strikes home, as well as some of the aesthetic beauties of the wild and mystical land, such as the Inca ruins around Cuzco, Peru. Che's description of the stonework at the Sacsaywaman fortress rivals the greatest travel writings of Robert Byron, Bruce Chatwin or Patrick Leigh Fermor in its stylishness and accuracy of description.

In places the narrative drags though, obviously written at points of sheer exhaustion, or boredom, or lack of inspiration.

i really enjoyed the motorcycle diaries. when the movie was in theatres i decided to read the book first so that i could understand the film better, but i chose to read it in the original spanish version. it was thought provoking prose. i was impressed that such insight came from the child of a wealthy argentinean family. when i read the translation in english i was a little disappointed. i did think that it was very good, but a little bit of the nuance is lost. if at all possible i suggest that you read it in the original spanish text, it is a little bit more inspiring.

Felix Rodriguez, an anti-Castro Cuban who was sent to assasinate Che, said he was a fascinating man he wanted to know better and felt sad at having to hunt him. He protested at Che's execution.

With that insight, I eagerly read The Motorcycle Diaries. They are very well written, amazingly entertaining, witty and occasionally insightful and the translation is not only excellent, but well-referenced where terms are transliterated.

Personally, I wound up detesting the little troll. He and his friend masqueraded as experts on leprosy, which they milked for guest space and food. They stole liquor, whined about hospitality until they got even better fare and generally were locusts on the local economy. Che complains mightily about bureaucracy and control that keeps him from his wants (The lack of border stops some places, which made it harder to cadge rides from passing trucks), yet makes a point of mentioning his illegally carried revolver and knife that he smuggled through other border checkpoints (and heck, who wouldn't, when traveling like that?). In other words, "If I want it, it's good government. If I don't, it's bad." The true moral dishonesty of the Latin communist comes through.

And yet...he was honest enough to preface the book with a note that it represented only a momentary view of his life at that time and place. He didn't edit out any of the bad. The contrast and complexity is fascinating, and I'll have to find more to read about a no doubt highly intelligent man.

Love him or hate him, the book is honest in its documentation and pulls no punches. It's a great period piece, a great low-budget travelog, and a journal of a young, brilliantly stupid college punk like lots of us were. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you want to understand the Latin communists or Che, you must read this.

The fog of time and the strength of anti-anti-Communism have obscured the real Che. Who was he? He was an Argentinian revolutionary who served as Castro's primary thug. He was especially infamous for presiding over summary executions at La Cabaña, the fortress that was his abattoir. He liked to administer the coup de grâce, the bullet to the back of the neck. And he loved to parade people past El Paredón, the reddened wall against which so many innocents were killed. Furthermore, he established the labor-camp system in which countless citizens--dissidents, democrats, artists, homosexuals--would suffer and die. This is the Cuban gulag. A Cuban-American writer, Humberto Fontova, described Guevara as "a combination of Beria and Himmler." Anthony Daniels once quipped, "The difference between [Guevara] and Pol Pot was that [the former] never studied in Paris." - Jay Nordlinger

Like the book's very title, two out of three comments on the cover of the book are absurd and entirely misleading. "Easy Rider meets Das Kapital" and "It's true; Marxists just wanna have fun" could not have been written by people who read this book and took it seriously. First, there is not one moment in the book where Che might offer us a hint that he had already studied Marx. If anything, there appears a crude and commonsensical 'discovery' of the plight of the poor from the part of an immature white bourgeois. Secondly, to imply that the book is just about having fun misses this very crucial point that there is a 'discovery' being made, however superficial it may seem. I think the implications of this discovery were to be more deeply felt only in the next few years following Che's first South America trip.

It is rather unfortunate that the book has been subjected to this form of misleading marketing. But this aspect aside, Che's writing itself should be valued for its insight into the future revolutionary's mind. In between an often confused prose, unsuccessful jokes and a linear and seemingly uneventful (because it is nothing but eventful) storyline, we find a clear inclination toward military tactics, as the lengthy and impressive analysis of possible defence strategies at Machu Picchu reveals. As we know from biographical work, this was indeed Che's strong point, as opposed to Marxist theory.

I cannot help saying I was in a certain sense disappointed with The Motorcycle Diaries. Although I had been told that it would dispel any romantic ideas I had about Che, I was not quite prepared for the shock. The feeling that his political analyses were crude to the point of being racist and that his typical Argentine parochialism seeped through the pages only made his choice of style, a distanced, unreflective approach all the more difficult to wade through. But, with a few weeks' hindsight, I must admit that this revolution in the way I see El Che has actually been quite beneficial to the very romanticism of the picture I have of him in my mind. There is more character, more depth, to the blend. Out of the three comments on the cover, then, I can only stick with the third: "Politically-correct revolutionary hero ? Perhaps a few years later, but in this account Che Guevara comes over as one of the lads."

I love reading travel stories and of this genre, I love reading travel stories about travel before people did it as a holiday. Che wrote about his journey north from his home in Argentina during the early fifties when South America was raw: before sealed roads and motels and fast food stops. I suppose South America was much the same as North America around the Teens or WWI.

I was fascinated by his stories with his traveling companion Alberto's search for Civil Guard [police stations] in small towns where they would connive a meal and a patch of floor space to sleep on for the night. The next day they would talk a truck driver into letting them ride on his load to the next town and so it went through Argentina [after their motorcycle quit], Chile, Peru, and into Columbia. This was tough travel-travel unlike anything I've come across and travel that is probably vanished from the world and after you read this you might say, "Good riddens".

Inevitably a sensitive mind like Che's, even at his young age of 23, will absorb the numbing disparity among the people he encounters along the way and eventually react-here you will observe the first mummerings of the revoluionary he was to become.

A final word about Guevara the writer-he's 23 with a twenty fourth birthday in northern Peru and his writing is intense and lyical and knowing-even at this young age.

This is a great light read-read it for insights into a life now gone and for insights into the creation of a modern icon.

This book is an absolute must to read, and serves as a perfect introduction into the life of Che. From the introduction which he claims that he is a changed man from this journey, to all the adventures and experiences which ultimately shaped his perceptions on the world. Furthermore, the Motorcycle Diaries bears an atlas characteristic and provides a better understanding of South America.

There are contrasting moments, such as stealing bottles of wine and hiding them under a tree and somehow getting caught, to directly seeing exploited workers in mines with poor health. That seems to be the pattern of the book, containing happy and at times outright hilarious moments, to grim realities of poverty, disease, and exploitation. I choose to omit some key adventures because they will serve more effective when read, but I will say that the strength of the Motorcycle Diaries lies in the rare ability to inspire.

It instills a sense of humanity in the reader and a better appreciation towards life. It also has the power to motivate, whether in the form of travel, or social action because it is a real documentation of a real journey that had a profound effect on a real and respected individual.

"Motorcycle Diaries" fashions itself as a road trip buddy comedy. Ernesto Guevara is an Argentinean medical student in 1952. Instead of finishing his last semester at school, he, along with his bio-chemist friend Alberto climb on to a broken down Norton 500 motorcycle and tour South America. The trip is meant to free the human spirit within them, which in young person terms means to find as many women as they can. Only they learn much more about the way of the land than they probably expect too.

They come across peasants and poverty stricken farmers muscled off of their land by the rich. They also experience such injustice firsthand as they are turned away for having no money. Seeing the harsh realities; no longer is Ernesto thinking of becoming the doctor his family and he wanted him to be. He is more confused and up in the air about the direction his life should take. As he says at the end of the film, "This story is not about heroic feats. It's about two lives running parallel for a while." One life is becoming a doctor, while the other is becoming a freedom fighter.

This book is not about a revolutionary or a doctor; instead it is a coming of age story about a complex young man finding his idealism. You see the seeds of change and the humanitarian good nature and think that maybe this guy could have been more than what he became.

This story has a resemblance to the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Odyssey" but it is not a fiction; but a tale of a real journey.

This was my "metro" book for about a month last spring. Then I picked it up again last week and finished the second half in only a few days. I guess depictions of cities and nature are somewhat boring to me, since the first part of the book essentially describes the two heroes hopping on their bike, driving their bike, falling off their bike, fixing their bike and then hopping back on it (at least thirty times). In between they drink a lot of mate :). Anyway, the movie should be great for depicting this visually, spicing it up with actual colours and sounds. The second part of the book was more interesting because it seems like they were meeting more people. The best parts were, most certainly, Che's thoughts and inner reactions: seeing the leppers follow him into the river, playing football with the workers, discussing anything with the dr Pesce...The letter to his mom at end was great too. The conclusion based on the knowledge passed onto him from "that old european" was somewhat unnecessary. I think it would be enough to see what he has seen to realize how poor live and not to have someone else break it down and tell him what needed to be done to correct it.

At the risk of sounding pedantic...

I find it incredible that the voice over for the movie trailers for the new Che Guevara movie The Motorcycle Diaries mispronounces Guevara's last name!

The "u" in Guevara is silent - It is not GUeh-varah; it is GE-varah (soft "G").

And I haven't seen the movie yet, but I bet that Hollywood glosses over one of the key aspects of Che's motorcycle trek: His (then) racist attitude towards Indians and Blacks.

In 1952, together with his friend Alberto Granado, Che took a wandering trip through South America, begging, drinking and borrowing their way through Argentina's northern neighbors. The book "Motorcycle Diaries" is about this trek, and the movie is based on this book.

And it is a strong book by a very young man, revealing some isnight into a man who was to become perhaps the 20th century's most famous face.

Peru, with its largely pure Indian population had a profound effect on Guevara, and he refers to the Andean Indians as the "beaten race" in his diary. Since Argentina's own Indians had long been destroyed and overwhelmed by the millions of white immigrants from Spain, Germany and Italy which populated his homeland, it was in Peru where Che first met an oppressed people, and he notes in his writing that although he and Granado were usually broke, they were able to get by on "favors and concessions" based on their white skin.

South America's Caribbean coast provided him with his first exposure to black people, and oddly enough, the man who was later to fight alongside Africans in the Congo made some harsh observations, deeply fragmented with stereotypical Argentinean white racism:

"The blacks, those magnificent examples of the African race who have conserved their racial purity by a lack of affinity with washing, have seen their patch invaded by a different kind of slave: The Portugese.... the black is indolent and fanciful, he spends his money on frivolity and drink; the European comes from a tradition of working and saving which follows him to this corner of America and drives him to get ahead."

In his defense, as Che grew, his native racism towards people of color was discarded, and eventually he even married a mestiza.

But I suspect that the movie misses this area of this fascinating and iconic man's life.

I'll let you know when I see it.

Brad Delong, Matthew Yglesias, Armed Liberals and others have been having a discussion about whether Che Guevara can be considered a hero. Here is the hero in his own words:

"During the night I had a bad case of the runs and, being ashamed to leave a souvenir in the pot under my bed, I climbed out on to the window ledge and gave up all of my pain to the night and blackness beyond. The next morning I looked out to see the effect and saw that two metres below lay a big sheet of tin where they were sun-drying their peaches; the added spectacle was impressive."

(From The Motorcycle Diaries)
Sorry, but I see nothing heroic in sticking one's arse out the window and letting drive onto a pile of fruit. I would never do that- but then, I'm not a communist.

I was recently in venezuela ... I wish the people well. But I sadly fear that there are going to be a lot of tears shed when all is said and done.

The Motorcycle Diaries pleased film audiences and critics alike when it was released in 2004. Like many book adaptations, the source material is far more edgy. Written in the 1950's with the exuberance and sarcasm of youth today, Ernesto "Che" Guevara's writing strikes a balance between laconic wit, social commentary and travel euphoria. The honesty and innocence of the book is what is most striking. Traveling with his buddy, Alberto Granado, the two make there way across the spine of South America in a beat up motorcycle that gives more trouble than it is worth. The escapades of the two travelers include scamming for food and shelter, while facing the hardships of harsh weather, hunger and penury. "The difference in our day and sleep wear was, generally, shoes." Ernesto and Alberto plan to visit a leper colony, where they can study and treat leprosy while learning about the social effects of the disease. But more than anything else, they seem to want to "discover a continent that they had only known in books." I liked the dreamy descriptions of Machu Pichu and Cuczo, but it was the camaraderie between the two travelers and the personalities found along the road that drew me in. The recent edition of The Motorcycle Diaries, published in 2004, includes actual pictures from the journey as well as the flashy movie stills. If given the choice, I would read the book first, as many of the monologues heard in the movie are just straight quotes from the writing.

This account of a travel of young Ernesto Guevara and his cousin is interesting for its viewpoint and clarity. What at once struck me is the clear, cogent writing style that Che possesses. It seems to me in this personal voyage into his brain that he could have excelled in anything: he could have been a doctor, a politician, a writer, or a revolutionary-and I suppose he was all.

This travelogue, batch of impressions, political manifesto, human rights record book, and stream of consciousness is very easy to read. If you have traveled through Latin America you cannot but agree with some of his critiques of Latino society and smirk at some of his observations. If you have never traveled there, Che turns out to be a great guide with an eye for picking out interesting things.

The Motorcycle Diaries exposes another side of Che Guevara. Che's writing shows an aspect of him something other then the gun-toting communist that he was. If one can separate the literature from the man, one would certainly say pure genius. How his words blend raw life, and thought from Goethe and on into drama that one just cannot put down; simply captivating. At the end of the book in an appendix is a speech Che made to some Cuban medical students titled "a child of my environment". Reading it, I realized that what Che meant by revolution, was not so much of changing governments, but rather of changing the thought of man. Jesus with a machine gun? Hmmm, too bad he did not drop the gun. Too bad Che was all too mortal, and in the reality Che was nothing more then what the environment of his time made him. I still relish the legend, and his words.

This book is a travelogue, not a manifesto. It is a personal, unassuming diary, so different from the blogs and journals that have become so popular lately. It is written (and well-written) by a cogent and intelligent mind.
What is remarkable about this diary is that it offers a glimpse into the mind and soul of a great man before his revolutionary metamorphosis. There is no hint of politics, of socialism, or of ideology in these pages. They are a personal account, a series of astute and sensitive observations of people, places and experiences.
The portrait painted by Che Guevara's own words is very different from that which adorns the t-shirts and posters of today's youth. Here he is funny, friendly, polite, down-to-earth. He is a regular guy, like you and me, backpacking through South America, savoring the sights and sounds of life. Along the way he learns, he struggles, sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses. He freezes, gets dehydrated, bitten by mosquitoes, stricken by asthma attacks; he starves, laughs in church, plays soccer, misses home.
It is so easy to relate to the Che Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries because he is so ordinary. And he arouses admiration and hope because he is an example of the power that each and every one of us has within. His secret is determination. Willpower. Conviction.

I read many reviews including the "editorial" review and I must say, many must have read a different book than I. I tried to find the "snide" references made regarding blacks and homosexuals but it eluded me. What I DID find was someone who began this diary in an almost lyrical manner. Someone who was not only articulate but who obviously developed a social conscience at a very young age. While I don't agree with Guevara's politics and I find his remarks about the bourgeois tedious, I found myself intrigued by his ability to express himself.
I think it may be much better to read this chronicle with no preconceived ideas concerning Che but rather read it as you would any other documentary about the times and conditions of the countries of South America.

*Che Guevara, there is much to say about this man and the way he changed people's lives. But what about before he was famous? This book, The Motorcycle Diaries, is an adventure that Ernesto Guevara took, along with his friend Alberto Granado, across South America. The means in which they start their journey is that of spontaneity. At that time, December of 1951, Guevara is at medical school learning to become a doctor. He and Alberto had just quit their jobs and decided to go to South America on Alberto's Norton 500 motorcycle called "La Poderosa II". In their travels they come across many diverse people living in conditions neither of them had ever seen before, as well as some that they have. Indians, lepers, so many people who show them a different world not seen by any, save the one's living there themselves. Argentina, Chile, Peru, through hot deserts, hitchhiking when they could, Columbia, Venezuela, fighting hunger as well as their desire to give up, but all the while never wanting to stop. This is the story of Ernesto Che Guevara, and his journey across America.

*I read this book and can hardly comprehend the feelings Guevara has on the expedition through South America. I think that it is hard for anyone to leave the place they call "home" to go explore the worlds around them. He doesn't have the trip all planned out, doesn't know where he will sleep or if he will be able to find something to eat. I think because of that "improvisation", Guevara shows how strong his will is and how much worrying about something won't change anything unless you try yourself to change it. You may have realized it by now but I really like this book and recommend it to any and all who want to read a story about a journey, life altering to a man who tries to change what he believes must be changed.

Click on the image of a young Che sitting in a pensive , relaxed posture as though he is daydreaming. The picture will reveal an image in your mind quite different from the familiar bearded face many have come to associate with Che. The youth and gaze in his eyes is reflective of the book in it's first hand portrayal of a young idealist. The roots of Che's radicalism, that evolved into his believing in Communism and fighting alongside Castro, in Cuba, began with what he saw on a trip he took through South America. His observations on the differences in social classes within various towns shows his astute vision and concern that eventually turned into action.The epic journey Che undetook with his friend is full of anecdotes, frolicking, humor and some keen observations. Setting out from Buenos Aires, Argentina with his best friend, Alberto Granadas, the two start out on a motorcycle along the Atlantic eventually arriving in Caracas , Venezuela. Prior to their departure the first-hand account talks about cutting ties and the lives they left behind . The narrative account makes for a small book that can be read in one sitting or so. In the small time invested an interesting portrait and adventure awaits the reader. The intimacy of the book is life taking the trip side saddle within Che's mind. Incidently, this book is being transformed for the big screen. The production for a soon to be released movie, directed by Brazilian Walter Salles, with young, Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal("Y Tu MamaTambien" & 'Amores Perros") taking the lead role of Che. The book is entertaining and worthwhile for those interested in history and those that have shaped history.

While the topic of Che Guevera's South American travels is worthwhile, the title is a bit misleading. Guevera and his traveling companion abandon their motorcycle, "La Ponderosa II" before they're a quarter way through their trip. Thus, from the perspective of an adventure motorcycle journey log, it disappoints. However, from the perspective of learning more about the development of Che's socialist philosophy, it's most valuable. Guevera well documents some of the incidents during this trip that help fuel his allegiance with the prolitariat. Written in a narrative form, this is not a day-by-day, hour-by-hour dry account of Che's journey. Rather, it appears that upon returning to Argentina, he reviewed his diary notes and distilled them into narrative prose. All in all, it was a worthwhile, if quick, read.

This book is said to promise excitement and wisdom, but in reality it only scratches the surface. Che's remarks about both indigenous and black people is pretty shocking as well. I found myself wondering where the insight regarding the plight of the proleteriat was (aside from a few fleeting observations already given to us in the introduction) amid his pseudoanthropological observations. Perhaps Alberto Granado will offer something more fulfilling!

Che's Motorcycle Diaries is a non-politicized odyssey around South America, full of comical high jinks and adventure. The 23 year old, pre-revolutionary Che is a talented travel writer with an abundance of humor and an observant eye for the human condition. The Motorcycle Diaries reflects intimate insight of the young man who would one day become a legend.

Praise needs to go to Ann Wright, the translator, who maintained the integrity of the Diaries.

I more or less stumbled upon this book looking for books on travelling in South America, which is one of my passions. I love to read travelogues of peoples adventures, especially those of people who find trouble, or have unusual experiences, or meet interesting people. I was hoping to find a lot of that in this book.

Che does some story telling in his book, but it is a lot of very repetitive stories that last about one paragraph. "I slept under the stars, I begged for food, I caught a ride". I must have read that 40 or 50 times. I would have like to read more about the interesting people he met along the way.

I think I would have had a greater apprecation for the book, had I known more about the post-revolutionary Che. Once I read more about his life, it became clear that the book offers much more, as it offers an insight in to an early phase of his life. If you are in to learning about Che, then I think you may like this book. If you are looking for stories of adventure, there are a few, but I would not say that Che is a great storyteller, or perhaps his writings lose something in translation.

Che Guevara's Motorcycle Diaries is a sloppy after-thought of South America and its indiginous peoples. At the age of 22, Che, a medical student, decides to travel to fulfill his "wanderlust." During his travels, he has not yet arrived at his revolutionary credo and does not, even in the beginning, give an inkling as to the possibility of travel to explore the lives of the proletariat. He is simply travelling because he is young and his friend has a motorcycle. Che, however, rewrites his diaries years later when he is living in Cuba and injects all the "insight" into the sorry lives of the natives. Hindsight is 20/20 but lets be realistic, this is not an account by a 22 year old. It is a retelling of the story by a weathered revolutionary. It lacks any of the exciting self-discovery which travel should inevitably lead one to; apparently the self-discovery comes much later. The Motorcycle Diaries is a good travel guide and not much else.

this is the best book about my idol "che" guevera which was the best person to live since god and that his assasination was underserving and messed up they should kill the people who killed "che"

Before reading "The Motorcyle Diaries", I was aware of Guevara's medical background while studying him as a revolutionary in Modern Latin America. However, the Che I studied was much different later in his life, leading successful revolutionary attacks, and becoming a martyr for the oppressed in Latin America and the world. His diary reveals a much different person, revealing a side to him - the coming of age story - that almost every person experiences. This document is beautiful and personal in narration, and quite enjoyable to read. I recommend to read it whether or not if you've studied Ernesto Guevara.

I'm not necessarily a fan of Che's ideology, but this book is good and worth a read whether or not you adhere to marxism!

The book is not very ideological (since it was before he became a revolutionary), and is basically just a compelling narrative of the fun, struggles, and learning that Che and a friend experience as travelling across Latin America. What it does do, though, is provide some framework for understanding what happened later on in Guevara's life, he definately saw a lot of life changing things throughout his trip.

I was able to relate to their experiences and I found it hard to put the book down. One of the funniest things in this book is thier polished way of coning people into buying them food and a drink when they had run out of cash.

It is a beautiful thing to see the political awakening of a young man. And it becomes even more notorious when we know that this man will be a true revolutionary years later.

`The Motorcycle Diaries' is the account of a journey made by Ernesto `Che' Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado throughout South America in early 1950's. Beginning as a pair of youngsters' journey, this trip become more a self-discovering journey having as background the impoverished and exploited, but above all, not well known America.

As most young people, Che and Granado had late-adolescent angst and trying to find a relief they went in a journey in the heart of South America, trying to find what was beyond their middle-class homes. What they find out was much more than what they were expecting to: poor people, with almost no conditions of living, consumed by diseases and being exploited and ignored by the government and the system.

It is a joy to see Che transforming from almost a brat into a real man of value, fulfilled with social and political conscience, caring for the poor and sick people. At first, he and his friends are only two guys who want to be on the road and learn about the world. But little did they know how was this world they were about to learn about.

Nearly the end, Che is another completely different person. He, now, has social and political thoughts --almost Marxist ideas -- about the world we live in and how South America has been systematically exploited throughout the years.

Sometimes painfully funny, sometimes extremely sad `The Motorcycle Diaries' is a pleasant read, written with heart and soul, by someone who was destined to be big, a person who was destined to change and touch the lives of thousands --as Che did indeed.

this is one of the best things i have ever read. it's che guevara as a human being, a young man, before he became a political figure and a romaticised icon. no, it's not a marxist book per se, it's not even very political. but it's not supposed to be 'das kapital' -- it's che's journals, his thoughts, feelings, observations on his journey through south america at 23 and the adventures, people, and day-to-day hardships he and his friend alberto faced. though it does show how his political views were developed, i don't even think that's the most important thing. the really great thing about this book is that it lets the reader into che's mind -- and heart -- not only as a revolutionary but as a human being. ten million stars.

Some books have the ability to change lives. This is one of those books. Less than one month after reading it, I quit my job and left the U.S. for South America where I spent four months "chasing Che" all the way to his resting place in Cuba. (I had never even heard of Mr. Guevara before reading this book). These are powerful words written by such a young man, and any heart that does not open while reading them is probably a dead one.

Che Guevara... Whether you respect him or not there is absolutely no denying the fact that he had a profound impact on the history of Central America and the Caribbean. This book is plainly and simply about a young man on a journey to become the person everyone knows in history. He sets out as a college student in his early twenties on the motorcycle La Poderosa II with Alberto Granado. When he returns a year later he has aged a hundred years. It is almost as though he has become a different person.

On his journey he saw the impoverished and the ignored. He saw indifference and hate. He saw racism and inequality... especially inequality.

This journey across the poor and rich regions of Latin America made Ernesto Che Guevara exactly who he was. In his travels he found he could not understand why some should have more than others. His communist views developed from seeing the unfair treatment of the poor. He was ready, by the end, to do whatever it took to win equality for all: even fight. As he said at the end of his book: "I feel my nostrils dilate, savoring the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood. The enemy's death; I steel my body, ready to do battle, and prepare myself to be a sacred space within which the bestial howl of the triumphant proletariat can resound with new energy and new hope."

Although a few things are lost to us English speakers through the translation and Argentine dialect this is a book which is full of rich detail and of deep internal struggle. This book was written in 1952, but edited and assembled much later. This causes some very Communist views to appear that were clearly added well after the original writings.
Still this is a great read to see the mind of a genius in a time when the world was still reeling from the shock of a great world war and gearing up for the middle of the cold war. Che Guevara would go on in life to befriend Fidel Castro and be his right hand man in the Communist regime over Cuba. Che Guevara, whether you like him or not, is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential people in history.

Seen the movie long before the book, but this book was very interesting to see how Che's thoughts began to form before he became only known as Che. Pictures in the centre were an added bonus. It's a quick read with concise notes (they are journal notes afterall), and it gave me a greater understanding and feeling of compassion for Ernesto Guevara - someone who I didn't know a lot about and in the USA you hear about how bad he is. Good thing I live in Canada, with an open mind.

Motorcycle Diaries strikes a common chord in all hearts that long to step outside the cultual boxes both male and female. It is a story of a seeker. One who followed dreams at any cost. Every wanderlust soul will find a soul mate within its pages. Those who need to continue the journey on their own will also find "The Second Coming Of Age" by: Curtiss deVedrine a fine travel guide companion.

The Boy Becoming A Man. The Man Who'd Become A Revolutionary Legend.
"Che" writes eloquently as he fills us in on his life journey. He expierences a people, a land and ways of life he could only have read about in his native Argentina. The lands and people of Latin America open their hearts and minds to our two intrepid travelers. Giving them food to fill themselves and a place to lay their weary heads. The exhaustive trip is captured here in these pages. Che was alive to me when I read this I could see his youthfull exhuberence, his mind hungary for experience, memories, tales and change.
They must have been two courageous individuals, "Che" and Alberto to attempt a feat such as this in a place like Latin America in the 1950's where much of the roads were poor, at best.
It seems this became a test to Ernesto and Alberto, a test to live off their wits, intuition, luck and inginuity.
Its clearly obvious that Ernesto was touched by the poor, disinfranchised and lowly people that he met along his journey. After reading his words, it will be no surprise to you why he turned out the way he did. Its no wonder that this trip was a milestone in the tranformation of one asthmatic Med. student into one of the most charismatic and driven revolutionary leaders of the 20th Century.
Thank you

was a superb book which had me enthrealled through the duration.looking at it as both a travewl guide and a guide to the ever-evolving thoughts of an inteligent young man with a huge heart

I enjoyed The Motorcycles Diaries. It was an excellent book written by a sensitive and compassionate young man discovering who he was. I read it in Spanish and it made me want to go see The Motorcycle Diaries movie. It also made me want to go to the places mentioned in the book: Peru, Colombia, the parts of Argentina I've yet to visit.

While reading "The Motorcycle Diaries" I kept waiting to come across the section that discusses the decisive moment when Che knew his fate or destiny was sealed as an "Emancipator of the People". I finally arrived at that section titled "As An Afterthought" and recieved my answer. Prior to this section, it is wonderous time in this 23 year old life. He, basically threw his spirit to the wind and lived. I wonder if Che knew that all that he had seen and heard would eventually become instrumental in his descision to change the course of his destiny. I am a believer of one's destiny is decided upon by two entities. One being the Creator of All and you the person. This book is an excellent read. It is rumored that Robert Redford is working on a movie about this book. It will be interesting to see his depiction and interpretation of this man's early personal journey from the eyes, heart and soul of man who represents the place where distortion and reality is not a factor in making a truthful, factual, and informative movie. No one will be disappointed if they read this book. If you never thrown your spirit to wind you truly can not understand what this journey is really like. I was fortunate and able to do just that. What I saw will remain inprinted on my soul and psyche for the remaining days of my life. ...

Read this and enjoy

It is a little deceptive to refer to this book as "The Motorcycle Diaries" because the motorcycle ( a 500cc Norton) is featured in less that half of the book. However it is an excellent record of Guevara's travels around South America with his friend and colleague Dr. Alberto. If you don't share Guevara's political viewpoint you'll still find the book enjoyable. It is also well written, at times lyrical . It made me wish I read Spanish better because I imagine it is even more descriptive in the original language.Finally, from a historical perspective you can see the beginnings of Che's evolution into flaming Communism. This paleo-conservative gives the book 4 stars and a high recommendation, even if you've never ridden a motorcycle.

I am not a great reader of books, but this one is an absolute scream. I read this book while I was flying from London to New York and I hardly noticed the flight go, a real entertainer. if you like life READ IT, if you like laughs READ IT, if you like adventures READ IT. An absolute howl from front to back. Spot on.

I understand that he was an important historical figure but his adolescent writings are pretty uninteresting.
I much preferred the movie over the book.

Many people wear the shirts that display Che Guevara and many people involved with politics hate his anti-american revolutionary ways, but until you read The Motorcycle Diaries, there is no way that you can possibly understand who Ernesto Guevara is.
All the people who wear his shirts or want to know about Latin American history, or even visit Latin America needs to read this book, it is thoughtful, insightful, and an all around great read.

This is Ernesto Guevara's diary of his trip around South America with his friend Alberto Granado. They travel on a battered motorcycle which quickly gives up the ghost. The writer here is a young Argentinian medical student - not the revolutionary who was to become world famous as Che within ten years.

He is a surprisingly good writer. The images of South America are beautiful. He observes and comments on the injustices that he encounters. These are the early hints of what was to come. Especially powerful are his encounters with leprosy sufferers. But there is also a fair share of humour as the two young man get into a series of scrapes as their money and luck regularly run short.

This is the best non-fiction that I have read for a long time. Guevara comes across as a man of intelligence and sensitivity - he is certainly more than a T. Shirt!

Excellent source of informtaion. A great story about Ernesto "Che" Guevara's travels through South America. This being my first reading on the individual, I was very impressed. Weather your interest in "Che" is personal or political, this is an excellent peace of work. Quick reading, leaves you wanting to read more on the subject.

If you are looking for a book dealing with Che's political views look elsewhere. However, if you want to read about Che in his formative years when his ideas were still taking shape then this is the book. Not much happens just some amusing anecdotes and a trip to the leper colony but after reading this you will view Ernesto Che Guevara in a whole new light

I think this book gives and excellent account of the events during ches adventures through parts of South America. It is one of his best writings. It shows his true ability to write a story like no other. You feel that you are in some of the situations. His describing is also great. One that every reader should like.

The Motorcycle Diaries makes us see the early Ernresto Guevara. His ambition to seek new adventures while trying to survive under poverty makes this book fascinating to read. His rebellious spirit and willingness to seek justice shows up in this book, which gives hints about his legendary future.

For more information about Che Guevara read, "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" by Jon Lee Anderson.

Folks who buy this book thinking that they are about to settle down to read a motorcycling travelog will be disappointed. La Ponderosa 'dies' VERY early on in the book and is never mentioned again. Otherwise an interesting story.

I found this book entertaining and interesting yet I could not help wondering how much of it WAS written by the 22 year old Ernesto and how much of it was written by the older "Che" in Cuba. I felt that too much was added in hindsight for the book to truly work. It felt like I was being presented with an "On The Road" copy mixed with why a young medical student became a great revolutionary.... and don't get me wrong, I admire Che enormously. I feel the book should not be taken as a great work of literature or philosophy. The only importance this book holds is that it was written by a great man whose memory will live on a lot longer than the memory of "The Motorcycle Diaries". Not everything a great person does is great, sometimes the things they do can be, in this case, just ok.

One of the most exiting, brilliant, humourous, moving and honest accounts of a 22 year old's first epic adventure I have ever read. De La Serna tells all in a clear and literate diary well worth reading whether revoltionary, biker or just human. The last section is particularly moving with Guevara's "Bestial Howl of the Proletariat" leading me to follow his cause.

Very good book to read to learn what goes on in the head on Che. He shares his emotions and passion for life and everything that comes along with it. This book is based more on his personal opinions, likes and dislikes. You would get the opportunity to get in his head and read his thoughts. A little too complicated to read. Its not like reading a chapter after a chapter in a book. Each memoir is his personal diary entry and not based on a day to day basis. Also contains black and white pictures taken either by him or his traveling along friend.

What i did not like about this book was the fact that the pages jumped around. One minute i was reading on pg33 and next minute i was on pg54 or so. It was really annoying because i had to constantly skip around and look for the pages and was always lost.

I read the book pretty much ignoring the Che of later years and hoping to find the adventure of a young, passionate man free on the roads. I also hoped to get a glimpse at the human underneath the Che image.

As it turns out, Ernesto and Alberto were fairly forgettable guys who apparently had no particular fun on their great adventure. Maybe it is because the writing is very flat. Che was a colorless writer, noting the most banal and unexciting details that a better writer would leave out. He had no talent for descriptive, so places and people remain vague. And there is not an ounce of humor in the guy.

Had Che not gone onto notoriety as a revolutionary, this book would never have been published.

Even as an insight into the man, his fans will find nothing terribly revealing here, especially not what radicalized him. His enemies won't find much in particular worth hating. There is almost no political significance here, just as there is no particular adventure. What made him tick? How did he think and what did he feel? Guevara was not a good enough writer to get that on the page.

All in all, Che comes across as a bit of a cold fish. I expected something livelier and more adventurous.

If this book were written by any other person, I'd give it 2 Stars. But because it's by Che, you at least get some insights into him, and that makes it a 3.

This was a turning point adventure for Che; it's the trip that turned him from curious medical student to doing down the path of revolutionary. For that alone, it's worth the read.

But if you're looking for an even better book about Che, and with all the adventure, get "Chasing Che" by Patrick Symms. It's an excellent read.

And if you're looking for a motorcycle adventure book, look no further than One-Man Caravan by Robert Fulton. Imagine traveling around the WORLD on a motorcycle BACK IN 1932. Complete with pictures, drawings and great writing ... simply a masterpiece within the genre.

Back to Motorcycle Diaries ... I think this book could have been so much more. Che was a good writer, but he stumbles on himself a lot. And, because he actually wrote this book AFTER the adventure was over, it feels like there is a lot of glossing over and "story fill" that robs it of the spontaneity it could have had.

Still, if you're into Che, it's probably on the "must read" list.

I'm so pleased that you had this earlier English translation of The Motorcycle Diaries and that it arrived in time for my Spanish class presentation. I also read the newer edition that came out with the movie in 2004. Your book had a much better translation. Thanks for your help. Sometimes older books are better books.

The Motorcycle Diaries is a great book to explore into a different culture. It illistrates Che's true lifestyle and brings the reader right into the adventures that he is having.
At the end of the book it started to drag on with the same deal over and over but that wasn't all that bad, but its's the one reason that I didn't give it a five. I really thought it made me loss my intrest so I didn't want to read it as much.
All in all I give this book a four out of five because it was very intresting and raised my knowlege about the subject's that were talked about.

Vi la película hace tiempo, y leí el libro hace poco. Yo creo que es un gran libro que merece ser analizado desde el lado humano. Creo que lo que sucedió después con la revolución es otro punto.
Yo veo aquí a un joven Ernesto conmoviéndose por ese mundo de Latinoamérica que la gente de dinero siempre deseo negar.

Everyone longs for the freedom in their lives and the trust in themselves that would allow them to jump on the back of an old ratty motorcyle and cruise the continent. Che is not an icon for just anything, he was blessed with the courage to follow his heart. Che and his friend, Alberto, experienced laughter, misery, love and hate but did not shy away from it. Che doesn't describe only the highlights of he and Alberto's journey, he tells of the nearly freezing to death in the desert night and I won't spoil the book by telling the peaches story, but the reader will know it when they get to it.
Inbetween the scenery and the adventures of Motorcyle Diaries lies Che's budding philosophies and convictions. "On top of her asthma she had a heart condition. It is at times like this, when a doctor becomes aware of his complete powerlessness, that he longs for change; a change to prevent the injustice of a system in which only a month ago this poor woman was earning her living as a waitress, wheezing and panting but facing life with dignity." Che's devoted his life to attempts to change the system and Motorcyle Diaries is not a "Che did this" but instead a "Che felt this". Bear with me on that - I could not think of a better way to put it.
The book drags on slowly in a several parts, but it is well worth the read. One might appreciate the book more if they are at least minimally versed in Latin American History beforehand. Motorcyle Diaries' quick references sometimes sent me back to my old history textbooks, but knowing them was not detrimental to enjoying the book.
I have recommended this book a friend in medical school and another who is a seasoned traveler - both euqally enjoyed and appreciated the book, however in much different ways. I think that everyone can find something within themselves that they can identify with Che.

About the same time Jack Kerouac was "On the Road" Che was on the old Norton below the equator. Part philosophy, part travel, part biography, makes for a fine read and gives insight into the force of this young doctor's life. I am eager to read the sequel

This was my first exposure to Che. I only read the book becuase I wanted to see the movie. I found the book to be an excellent read; it was very entertaining. This book also provides interesting insight into why he became a revolutionary. Because it was written by Che, I do wonder what his motivation was in writting it. Overall, it is quick, entertaining, and informative.

There's an honesty in this book that's not seen much lately. And that alone makes this book great. There's a scene where Che and his buddy feel like they are really roughing it, sleeping in a run down shed in the middle of nowhere when they are awoken by scary scratching sounds. They think its a jaguar and they shoot it. Instead they have killed the landowners little puppy. How many travel writers these days would even admit to that?

Che's travels are rarely specatacular, and that's refreshing. Still, as do most of my favorite travel authors, his goals are never to see waterfalls or ruins; he is on an adventure of people. For him this involves booze, dancing and women but that's okay...there's something real here and that's what's really enchanting. Although, it is painfully obvious that he becomes a leper expert for the most part because they offer him free food and lodging on his travels (a sort of leper run holiday inn), his dealings and soccer games with them are charming as all hell.

Che is shady and admits to it. I love it. Even without his later fame, I would have loved the book. But getting a peak at Che Guevara as a raucous young man brings this book up to five stars. Check it out.

Everyone takes a journey. Only a few can ever write about it.

Che Guevera - The Revolutionary

Jack Kerouac - The Beat

Henry Rollins - The End of Silence

This is a great book that gives an illuminating insight into the events that molded a future revolutionary leader...and the most inspirational of the writings on his young life I have found. His special relationship with the lepers of the South American continent lends a human aspect to the rose-colored life of this future revolutionary.