This beautiful book gives new life to the values and thinking of the Che Guevara behind the legend, a man who was at once sensitive, passionate and determined to pursue his socialist dreams to their conclusion. Che is viewed through the camera lens of key Cuban photographers, through posters and other images, and through the iconography that grew up around him after his death in 1967 while trying to start a revolution in Bolivia. The images are accompanied by quotations from writings by Che, several of which have never been published before, which show his commitment to timeless human values such as honour, truth, loyalty and honesty, and highlight his transition from a guerilla fighter to a leader of the Cuban Revolution and his later return to guerilla warfare. The picture which emerges is of a complex man with a highly developed aesthetic sensibility, extraordinary self-discipline, physical daring and a remarkable sense of destiny. The images presented and the lucid accompanying text combine to reveal the personal Che behind the icon. This book is unique. The Che Handbook is based on meticulous research in both official and private archives.
It is without any doubt, the finest and most comprehensive photographic and iconic record of Che ever published. At the same time, it is the most accessible and authentic portrait of Che through its combination of photographs and writings linking the public man with his private life and feelings. This book includes remarkable images of Che as used in posters and other forms of iconography, many of which have never published. The 160 insightful photographs have been taken by some of Cuba's most important photographers. The photographs have been researched from major Cuban archives such as the Cuban Departamento de Orientacion Revolucionaria, the Oficina de Asuntos Historicos, the Pabellon Cuba and the archives of the magazine Bohemia, the Prensa Latina press agency and from the personal scarpbooks of Che's widow, Aleida March. * Harry Villegas, widely known as Pombo. He accompanied Che throughout the guerilla fighting in the Sierra Maestra, and is a survivor of Che's ill-fated guerilla incursion into Bolivia in 1967. He is today a Brigade General.
* Victor Dreke, who was second in command of Che's column in the Sierra Maestra and accompanied him on his military expedition to the Congo. * Leonardo Tamayo, who was Che's main bodyguard. He was with Che in the Sierra Maestra, during his years as a Cuban Minister after 1959, in the Congo and in Bolivia. He is today a Colonel in the Interior Ministry. Orlando Borrego knew Che in the years after 1959 and was close to him when he was Minister of Industry. Che made him his Minister for Sugar. He is today an advisor to the Tourism Ministry. * Alberto Granado was a personal friend of Che from the time of their school days in Argentina, and toured South America with him on a motor bike. He has lived in Cuba since 1959. * Perfecto Romero, who joined Che as a young photographer during the final phase of the guerilla war in the Escambray mountains and Santa Clara. * Oscar Fernaudez Mell, a former mayor of Havana and ambassador to Britain, who as a young doctor joined Che's column in the guerilla war and later accompanied him on his military expedition to the Congo.