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Dec 17, 2009

Matthew rated it:

This is a first-hand account of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's trip across South America with his good friend. Guevara is not a professional writer and it shows in his straight-forward delivery of the material. It's a diary and it reads like a diary. There is very little exposition here. It's just a blow-by-blow account of the events that took place.

What I found interesting was that Che was a passionate medical student who just wanted to help people, quite in contrast to his l More...

3 comments like (6 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Julia rated it:

Although it took me almost a month to read this relatively short book, I found it very interresting and written in a literary reflective style. It made me wish my journal sounded as coherent and intelligent. The Diary did a great job expressing the feelings and thoughts of a young man who changed from his journey through Latin America. It was really cool to get into the young Che's head and see how, why, and when he began to change into the revolutionary icon so many of us know him as today. Sin More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 05, 2011

Mel rated it:

This book told me how Ernesto Guevara transformed from a humble and passionate medical student into a articulate, cunning and brilliant revolutionary who not only changed the face of the entire Latin American continent but shaped the perspectives and the thoughts of millions of people from all the world over.

This book was eloquently penned and I thought that I was literally reading a novel. Che Guevara could have been a novelist or a writer and it would have produced a significant im More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 19, 2010

anonymous rated it:

What a beautiful, amazing book.

This is Che's personal account of his journey with his companion Alberto Granado through Latin America on their motorcycle dubbed La Poderosa II.

Only 23, he begins his journey as a medical student and emerges with a new perspective of South America. This perspective informs his future as a political revolutionary.

His compassion for the proleteriat as he describes miners who work in deplorable and dangerous conditions, the Indians More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Apr 01, 2008

Reyhan rated it:

Che is one of the figure I admire for his courage and idealism. And this is his diary which he wrote when he and his friend was having a journey crossing the South America from south to north by riding a motorcycle (well, at the beginning actually. Most half till the end they traveled by foot, hitch hiking, and rafting through the Amazonian river).
OK, probably because this is a diary it doesn't contain a literacy magnitude that you could appreciate, but you could admire its "essence" More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 24, 2008

Ryan rated it:

Had to see what the fuss was all about. I found the chronicle well-written, and of course knowing the context of the rest of his history-making life, I do find it remarkable to have a document of his developing mind. You get to know Guevara as a merrymaker, a resourceful engineer, and a charismatic person. And his writing is good, that is put on clear display. But I felt myself looking for some form of evidence of the great change that he underwent politically. I didn't find it. He goes in More...

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Jan 25, 2011

Josh rated it:

So I've looked over some of the other reviews for this book and it seems that even most of the lower ratings have relatively appreciative reviews.
Here's the thing, this is a travel log... It's non-fiction, it's a diary, it's somewhat hastily written. Some reviews complain that it should be in the third person, that it should be more descriptive, etcetera etcetera.... But the fact of the matter is a diary shouldn't BE anything other than what the author wants it to be... (and should prob More...

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Oct 08, 2010

Hans rated it:

Guevara's coming of age story. In many Native American cultures they used to practice a ritual "walk-about" sending off their young men into the wild to survive and live on their own for a couple of months. The idea being that when they came back they would be changed by that experience and have discovered some truths about themselves, thus making them more mature.

What started off simply as a spontaneous adventure ended up becoming a tale of relationships that one after a More...

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Jul 19, 2010

Khalid rated it:

Che Guevara's riotous riotous diaries charting his motorcycle odyssey from Argentina through Chile and Peru ending finally in Venezuela. There are the diaries written by Che Guevara during his riotous motorcycle odyssey from Argentina through Chile and Peru ending finally in Venezuela. Most of the journey was undertaken on 'La Poderosa', the Powerful One: a 500cc Norton. Che Guevara's route is no political campaign: it is six months of high drama and low comedy in which the main concerns of Che More...

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Jun 13, 2010

Palash rated it:

It is inevitable that anyone who reads this book would have vivid images of Che Guevra intruding into his or her mind. Who doesn't remember the stunning photo image of Guevra, said to be the most copied image in the world? Then the image of Guevra fighting through the marshes to capture Cuba, and then when Castro and the others set about rebuilding the country, taking his gun again to fight his lonely battles for liberation in other countries. And the last flashing image, a tired, defeated Guevr More...

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Feb 17, 2010

Emma rated it:

Ernesto Che Guevara is one of the most recognizable political figures of the twentieth century. But that is not where our story begins. Our story begins with a simple conversation. “Why don't we go to North America?” asks Che’s close friend Alberto Granado. “North America? But how?” responds Che, the then 23 year old medical student. “On la ponderosa, man,” replies Alberto. And off they go, two men with hopes of seeing what’s out there from Alberto’s less than reliable motorcycle, la ponder More...

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Feb 08, 2010

Vida rated it:

This book has been on my list for years. I was finally forced to read it for a Latin American History Course that I am taking.

As I read it, I became very skeptical. How could Che Guevara be such an eloquent writer and have such an enormous foundation of political history in 1951/1952? He must have added a lot when he went over it an edited it.

The biggest thing that struck me was his passion for communism which was tied to his position of authority in the communist movem More...

4 comments like

Dec 01, 2009

Jacob rated it:

The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara is a journey that sparked action. This book is the story of Guevara’s journey through South America, with his friend, Alberto Granado. This is the time when Ernesto Che Guevara was a young medical student, before he became a revolutionary in Cuba. Both Ernesto and Alberto decide to travel through Latin America on Alberto’s Norton 500 motorcycle, La Poderosa II (Spanish for “The Mighty One”). What Ernesto sees during his journey is what caused him to More...

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Nov 30, 2009

Atlas rated it:

The Motorcycle Diaries is a book about the early travels of Ernesto Che Guevara and his friend Alberto Granada. At the time, Che was a 23 year old medical student and Alberto was a 29 year old biochemist. Together they travelled 5,000 miles all over South America on an old single cylinder Norton Motorcycle which they called La Ponderosa meaning The Mighty One. They passed through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, and then to Miami before returning back to Argentina More...

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Nov 29, 2009

Nicolette rated it:

The Motorcycle Diaries ‘tis a charismatic description of two men, numerous kindhearted Latin Americans, and countless memorable experiences. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy nonfiction books, or who want to learn about Latin America. I think that non-fiction is a very special genre that only a select group of people enjoy, but I also think that it depends on the subject matter of the story- that is why I mention its charming, verbose illustrations of the essence of Latin America. More...

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Aug 23, 2011

Zach rated it:

The Motorcycle Diaries highlighted the long and turbulent adventure of Ernesto "Che" Guevera, a young doctor at the time, and his friend, Alberto Granado. They go on a cross-continental journey searching for new lands that though close in proximity to their homeland appear foreign, no pun intended, to them. They find that though different in some respects there in a brotherly bond between them and their continental neighbors.

The largest difference I found between Argentini More...

4 comments like

Jul 16, 2011

Jeruen rated it:

An edited version of this article was first published as Book Review: The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara on Blogcritics.org.

I rarely pick up non-fiction. And whenever I do, it's usually a hit-or-miss, I either like it or hate it. I have this idea that most of the non-fiction I have read, especially memoirs, are books that didn't sit well with me. However, I decided to give the genre another chance, and after reading this book, I am glad that I did.

So what is t More...

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Jan 25, 2012

Rob rated it:

I read the translation by Ann Wright, and I get the impression that makes a difference. Her translation is littered with Britishisms, in some cases very obscure ones (she uses "put paid to" 3 times!). I would have thought it was common sense that translators–British, American, whatever–must avoid the -isms of their particular dialect, as it's extremely distracting, like superimposing your own culture onto a book about another culture. I read plenty of British translations, but never More...

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Jan 22, 2012

Luis rated it:

This book was named "The Motorcyce Diaries: Notes on Latin America" by Che Guevara. What grabbed my attention about this book was that i have always been interested in Che's story and I wanted to learn more about it. This book is not like other books were everyone ends up happy. This book is full of many different stories.

This book is different from other because Che leans things from thing that happen to other people and that he has to be there to see. Many tragic event More...

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Aug 09, 2011

M. Cornelis rated it:

Surprisingly short considering the scope of the journey being attempted within it's pages, and somewhat light on the details, but definitely easier to get through than a copy of "The Communist Manifesto." Guevara and his friend Granado have set it in their minds to undertake exactly the sort of ambitious venture most of us have dreamed off, that being the ultimate road trip, and then have the gall to give it a try. That's your premise, your set up, and I cannot deny I once had similar More...

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Nov 30, 2009

Harrison rated it:

Made into a film, The Motorcycle Diaries, titled as notes on a Latin American journey. The book is about his journey across South America with his friend, Alberto Granado. While the book remains fairly short, it still is a good story. Ernesto Che Guevara’s journey transforms him, the book deals with Che seeing the injustices across South America he didn’t know about. The Journey itself Is pretty vast, leavign Argentina going through Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, and Miam More...

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Jul 19, 2011

Julie rated it:

I was surprised that I did not like this book more, since I loved the movie. But it's just too boring in places. He does not tie one journey to another, so each chapter seems like it's a random anecdote with no context. I also was bothered by the many times racist views were expressed toward certain peoples at the same time Ernesto was calling for tolerance of others. He seemed like a big hypocrite, although obviously this was a very different time as far as race relations. I also thought t More...

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Jan 13, 2011

Louise rated it:

Have you seen the film? Are you in love with Gael Garcia Bernal as much as I am? Turns out the young Che Guevera was a) really intelligent and a brilliant writer b) quite the looker and charmer and c) hilarious.

The book is a compilation of the notes which Ernesto made on a trip upon 'La Poderosa 2' (the mighty one) aka a beloved but pretty much useless motorbike belonging to his friend and co-pilot Alberto.

Both are educated - Guevara taking a break from his medicine degree an More...

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May 05, 2010

Lennie rated it:

In 1951, Ernesto and his friend Alberto began a trip that would take them throughout South America. Although Ernesto is a medical student and comes from a well to-do family and Alberto is a biochemist, the two travel gypsy style, bumming places to sleep and eating meals offered by strangers along the way. Their journey takes about half a year and their experience is recorded by Ernesto.

I thought this was a pretty decent read. It was interesting to see Ernesto evolve and grow as a More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Colin N. rated it:

"The Motorcycle Diaries" contains the edited journals of a young Che Guevera, who wrote this diary during a trip through South America on an old rundown motorbike with a friend. Much of the journals read like the travel log of a young man in his twenties excited about seeing the world, interested in drinking and women, and getting into silly situations, which are often quite amusing. But in addition to these adventures, the book contains glimpses of who Che would later become and the More...

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May 31, 2009

JJ rated it:

I have done research in the pan-Mayan movements within contemporary Guatemala. In addition to this, I help construct a undergraduate class about Indigenous religions of the Americas. I also took a class on the politics of the Carri bean. Part of all of this included studying revolutionary movements. So, I was already pretty familiar with el Che. Of course, I have seen the film based on this book as well.

I believe it is a little unfair to judge this book as if he were a professional More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 16, 2011

Neha rated it:

We all have read about great historical explorers born to be wild, to wander and discover new worlds. Their journeys sometimes lead to new lands, hidden treasures, ancient discoveries or sometimes nothing but one thing they do achieve and that is discovering oneself. These travels through unknown throw various challenges, opportunities, learnings, experiences, choices and threats.. and these change you by each day sometimes making you stronger by rising to the occasion and surviving the toughes More...

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May 22, 2010

Sharon rated it:

One of my biggest complaints about modern US civics education (where it appears to exist at all) is the short shrift given to certain historical figures. All most of us ever learn about Ernesto Guevara is that he was a revolutionary, assassinated by the CIA, and that revolutionaries are "bad." (Never mind that the United States was founded by revolutionaries.)

What we never seem to learn is how Ernesto Guevara arrived at the place in history that he holds. We are not taug More...

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Jul 21, 2009

David rated it:

This is from the diary of the legendary Che in his formidable years, following his education as a physician but before he took up the mantle of a revolutionary. It is remarkable in that it portrays him as a sensitive, flesh-and-bones human being no different than you or me, and reveals the underlying motivations that lead him to his next step. We see that he is ultimately motivated by a humanitarian desire, one more noble than the path that most of us take toward self indulgence, however benig More...

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Feb 19, 2010

Julien rated it:

“Why don’t we go to North America?”
“North America? But how?”
“On La Poderosa, man.”
This is how the trip was decided for Ernesto “Che” Guevara. This trip on a 500cc Motorcycle would not only be a journey of discovery, but also a journey that would change Che’s political views on South America forever. Born into a middle class family in 1928; he was now 23 in Medical School with goals to become a doctor. He made plans to embark on a journey with his good friend Alberto Granada. In More...

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