Che Guevara

Fighting for Castro's Cuban revolution and dying while aiding Bolivian guerillas--El Che led a colorful and complex life. Although he executed too many people to be a model of leadership, he did possess a determination to help oppressed people revolt against imperialism. The gifted bilingual narrator Armando Duran speaks both American English and the book's abundant Latin-American Spanish without a trace of accent from the other. His fluency with both languages synchronizes the messenger with the message. He enunciates every word with precision and chooses a pace that will keep listeners' attention for all 36-plus hours. Together, in language rich with personal and political details, both author and narrator produce a riveting biography of a career revolutionary. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 30, 2009
The incredible life of the Cuban revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara is documented in this thorough, compulsively engaging 1997 biography and inspiration for Steven Soderbergh's 2008 biopic. Beginning with Che's childhood in Argentina, Andersen covers every possible aspect of his subject's life—from Che's first encounter with Fidel and Raul Castro in Mexico City through the Cuban revolution to his failed attempt at reform in the African Congo—leaving no event, personal or political, unanalyzed. Armando Duran gives a brilliant performance that captures Che in all his contradictions. Duran displays his inherent acting ability in this reading that does full justice to the prose and never fails to captivate despite the near 37-hour length. A Grove Press hardcover.