Ernesto “Che” Guevara (14th of June 1928 to 9th of October 1967) was a major figure of the Cuban Revolution, and has since become a pervasive symbol of counterculture and rebellion in popular culture. He became radicalised by the poverty and unfair treatment he witnessed as he travelled Latin America. Che has since become a polarised figure in the collective imagination in a multitude of biographies, songs, and films.
Che was a well read and well travelled, intelligent man who often found mental refuge in literature. His reading list offers an insight into the deep thinking man he was, and reflects much of his ideals.
His choice of reading material influenced him greatly and makes for a fascinating list. We have compiled 10 of the most interesting of Che Guevara’s choices for your enjoyment and interest…
1. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
2. Selected Works by Francisco de Quevedo
3. Tales from the Thousand and One Nights
4. Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud
5. A Collection of Stories by Jack London
6. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels
7. Short History of the World by H. G. Wells
8. The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
9. Complete Stories by Franz Kafka
10. Cuentos de la Selva by Horacio Quiroga