Che Guevara's Face

Starred review from October 15, 2016
The Captured World History series examines iconic photographs, gives the story behind them and their larger historical perspective, and then focuses in on the work of the photographer and the image's evolution. In Che Guevara's Face, the book begins at the funeral for those killed in an explosion at the Havana dockyards. Guevara, one of the grieving marchers, was caught looking defiant and bold by photographer Alberto Korda, and this image has inspired freedom fighters and civil rights activists around the globe. After this introduction, the book delves into Cuban history, the country's tangled relationship with the U.S., and finally the image itself: Korda's methods and how the photo became symbolic, even as the picture was changed (e.g., when the color red was added to the black-and-white photograph). The books in the series are handsomely designed and visually do their subjects justice. The fact-filled texts are inviting but never talk down to the audience. Mark this series as a great way to discuss history, photography, and the way both shape public perception.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)