Book Review – Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, Jon Lee Anderson

‘What a man can be, he must be’

Those were the words of American psychologist Abraham Maslow, a contemporary of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna-Lynch or, simply, ‘Che’. Little could have Maslow known then that a man would rise to global renown from the southernmost part of his own continent, trying to be what he could be – a revolutionary of the highest caliber. And in the process, that man would become one of the most dangerous enemies of Maslow’s homeland.

Che is relevant to Maslow for another reason too. In transforming himself from a radical reformist of one region into a global revolutionary, Che upturned Maslow’s famed pyramid of human needs. For Che, his socialist cause, self-actualization through Revolution, was the most primitive need while food, sleep, love of friends and family, or even personal safety, did all become luxuries. Power and position did not even figure in his scheme of things. Such was his commitment that he spurned all imaginable comforts like an ascetic, missed the opportunity to be with his dying mother, gave up the pleasures of being a doting father, a loving husband. All because he wanted to uplift the downtrodden and destitute, no matter which part of the world they belonged to.

There are people who adopt a cause and devote their lives to it. Then there are some who are born destined for the cause. Ernesto Che Guevara belongs to the latter category. His romantic passion towards his socialistic cause, the sheer determination with which he went about achieving it despite opposition from even closer quarters are all lessons for ages of young minds to come. This biography by Jon Lee Anderson is a comprehensive guide to understanding Che and his ways.

Writing the biography of any famous figure, let alone that of someone as charismatic as Che Guevara, is a tough task. Be too overawed by the person, the book runs the risk of becoming a hagiography. Be too distanced, one ends up presenting a dry tome, listing the chronological order of events. It takes a rare mind to treat the subject with respect and at the same time present a faithful perspective. Jon Lee Anderson manages to it pull off. Che is presented as he was, playful as a youngster, one who did sow his wild oats, flirting around, having casual flings, playful and funny. His maturing as a rebel, growth in his social consciousness that was assisted in great measure by his motorcycle journeys across the continent, first by himself and then with his friend Alberto Granado have all been presented in great measure. Che’s gradual pull into the volatile political situation of Central America, his introduction to Fidel, their collaboration in the guerilla war to liberate Cuba, Che’s ascension to the role of Minister of Industries, his life during those calm (before the storm) days in Cuba, his eventual return to the field – literally – to spread revolution around the world, the debacle at Congo, and the tragic-but-glorious end at the nondescript Bolivian village of La Higuera are all laid out in such detail that one can only wonder whether Jon Lee Anderson was present in the times of Che, documenting history as it unraveled. Tremendous efforts and research have gone into this book.

Che was a man so ahead of his time, just like every great human being that came before him. Like those great minds, political or otherwise, he had ideas that were too progressive to be grasped by his contemporaries. He was revered by many, feared by many more, loved by a lot of people, hated by equally so many, praised by multitude but understood completely by very few. Like the many heroes before him, he understood his strengths, realized his weaknesses, pushed his companions to emulate his strengths, strived to overcome his weaknesses, and led by being a shining example. Simply put, he practiced what he preached.

It won’t be a blasphemy, though an irony, to compare Che with Jesus Christ. Both men were born ahead of their times, amidst people too narrow-minded to think about purposes greater than themselves, hoped that the people around them would see the worth of their arguments, wanted to make humans realize their potential and become better, but in the end were left to carry the cross for the sins of people that were too petty-minded and incapable of appreciating their worth. While one man tried to achieve mass deliverance through love and peace, the other chose to use bullets. In the end, betrayal by their own people took them both to their graves. One emerged from his grave three days later and went on to become a god. The other took three decades and has attained an almost equal mystical status amidst droves of youngsters, even amongst those that don’t even know his complete name.

Whether Che’s methods were right or wrong is a topic for debate. But his place in the pages of human history, as a persona that future generations can look up to, is undisputed. This unbiased, authentic work by Jon Lee Anderson is an ultimate guide to that Heroic Guerilla’s life and times, as good as any autobiography that Che himself could have written. Must read, must own.