Reviews (2)

In a nation where cash is king, meet the royalty.
Dreams. Visions. Wealth and Power. Within the pages of this book you will learn about the lives of 100 extraordinary people and their amazing accomplishments. Coming from all walks of life, many were brought forth with very little to their name, and yet each one has possessed an overwhelming desire to be the best. In many cases, they pursued a vision and achieved unimaginable success. Their empires and ideas have revolutionized society and their names will forever be etched in stone with their legacies. If you have ever been inclined to command wealth, here is where you will find out how it was done by those before you.

--Taking Notes

100 highly readable vignettes on wealth-obsessed individuals
Let me start by saying that I would never have picked up a book on this topic were it not for the fact that one of its authors is my brother. I am so repelled by the "get rich" mentality that is exhibited by a certain segment of our population that I would have avoided the book for fear of being lumped in with them by anyone seeing it open in front of me. Before buying the book, I had prepared myself to dislike it, and had already fired off some ironic messages to my brother by electronic mail on the aspiring Rockefellers who I supposed would be flocking to buy it.

Finally, I got the book home, and, after drawing the shades and closing the blinds, furtively looked inside. A wealth, not of money, but of biographical detail, emerged immediately from the first few pages of text. It became immediately clear that, whatever its political slant, this was a profoundly well-written and researched work. What's more, it painted realistic and, in many cases, quite damning portraits of its 100 plutocratic subjects.

The book orders its collection of mini-biographies according to the wealth of their subjects. Still, the bite-sized pieces are too irresistable to be consumed in a linear manner, and so I found myself jumping from one disciple of mammon to another some chapters away, devouring several at a sitting over a period of many days. I remember the sense of mild surprise that I felt at the time that someone who I have known on a personal level for years had produced something that could truly be appreciated by the greater world (and evidently has been, from the reviews and interviews that have followed).

The reason that this book "only" gets a nine (for me, a 10 would be reserved for a great classic like Howard Zinn's "People's History of the United States," and maybe one or two other titles), is my perception that it pulls its punches slightly on some of its more contemporary subjects. The facts are all there, but there is a sense that the kid gloves are on when examining the negative consequences of more recent fortunes, such as Sam Walton's, on the broader community. Walton's Wal-Mart stores, for example, have been criticized as vacuum pumps that suck money out of small communities, destroying local shops that pay decent wages and recycle their earnings to local economies, while offering only low-paying jobs and marginally lower prices in return. The book brushes this aside as "protests from small rivals," and says nothing more on the subject.

Despite these issues, the book remains one of the most informative and interesting ones that I have read. And if the authors' point of view seems to favor, or at least accept, the system that created these Matterhorns of money, that view isn't imposed upon the reader, and there are plenty of facts and figures from which to derive a competing perspective.

--Carl Gunther ... Read more

Amazon.com

According to an old saying, the very rich are different from you and me because they have more money. According to The Wall Street Journal senior editor Cynthia Crossen, the very rich are different because they often cross into unknown territory to obtain their great wealth--and regularly presage significant changes in society and culture while doing so. Crossen profiles 10 of these notable magnates in The Rich and How They Got That Way, focusing on a truly unorthodox assortment from a thousand-year period that fit this dual definition. The result is novel, engaging, and instructive.

Much of this stems from the choices that Crossen has made, which range chronologically from military leader Machmud of Ghazni of the 10th century to technology leader Bill Gates of the 21st. In between, there's Genghis Khan (who went "beyond simple robbery" to "taxing a conquered people"); Mansa Musa (a master of early worldwide trade routes through Africa); Pope Alexander VI (who managed to "rule the spiritual world and manipulate the political"); Jacob Fugger (a 15th-century German moneylender); John Law (who refashioned France's treasury during the late 1600s); Richard Arkwright (a forefather of the 18th-century British industrial revolution); Howqua, (a Chinese trader at the tail end of his country's global isolation); and Hetty Green ("the early 20th-century queen of the stock market"). Students of both business enterprise and world history will appreciate how these stories tie together the surprisingly parallel development of each discipline. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Of Historical Interest
With the rise of internet and multi-media fortunes, this book is a little dated, even though Bill Gates *is* still one of the most wealthy individuals on planet Earth. I found value in reading the histories of the earlier people: Ghengis Khan, Jacob Fugger, et al., and how wealth generation moved from a "conquer and plunder" scenario to one of capital and industry. The book is a bit of a struggle to get through and I hoped for a more insightful look into both the people and the history of wealth. It's an OK read for a quick and broad history lesson but don't expect depth or analysis of "the rich and how they got that way".

banal writing
There are a number of books out today on this topic - there has to be one where the writing is much more interesting - a high school student could have written this....

Highly Recommended!
Cynthia Crossen presents a one-thousand-year pageant of fortune, focusing on how nine wealthy men - and one woman - gained and kept their wealth. Each person symbolizes an era, and a means of amassing money. Crossen combines their biographies with a discussion of the historical trends that contributed to the changing sources of wealth - from the ancient days when thievery and conquest were the way to riches to the times when trade, manufacturing and new technologies provided the roads to wealth. The book provides a fascinating and leisurely overview of history, as well as a glimpse of the lives of these wealthy people. The discussion sometimes wanders in time and place, with asides comparing different time periods. We [...] recommend this engaging, briskly written book to executives, managers and anyone fascinated by wealth, history or both.

Basically a history book...An easy read
This book is basically a history book with mini-biographies of 10 different people. It was not an insightful guide into how you can use proven techniques to reach the same heights. It was, however, interesting to read profiles on some famous people through history. Many of those documented I previously knew nothing about.

In reading the individual stories, I was able to grasp the progression of the global economy although this was not explicitly explained. This was a good pre-bedtime or a bathroom read. I say this because you can read a chapter and pick it up a month later and read another chapter. SInce the chapters are basically separate biographies, you do not have to finish this one at once.

I would recommend this boojk for anyone who enjoys historical stories about business people and events. However, this is not a guide in any way that can be used to help you improve your business skills.

Little truth in this title
I bought this book because I saw it mentioned in Barron's as containing a chapter on Hetty Green, "the Witch of Wall Street". I knew a little of her story, how she bought cheap and sold dear, and was a famous miser.

So I bought the book. It turns out to be more a collection of magazine article length peices about what these people were like, not how they got rich.

For example, after describing how Hetty inherited some money, married and moved to England, says:"Hetty eagerly bought up US government bonds, which, in the years after the civil war were being sold for as little as forty cents on the dollar. Most investors thought they would never be redeemed at full value. Hetty also began buying American railroad stocks and bonds. In one year in London, she made more than $1.25 million on her investments."

That's it. Nothing about how she chose to buy that particular investment, nothing about the other choices she rejected. Also nothing about how, when, or for how much she sold the bonds. Nothing at all useful to today's investor trying to choose what to buy cheap and when to sell dear.

My advice to you: don't invest in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Major collection of Gandhi's writings, used widely as introduction ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The power of pacifism
This book is a testament of Gandhi's words. It helps show the reader the difficult times of colonialism in India. If anyone wants to hear a hero and his philosophies of how to lead a nation out of imperialization, this is a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

Over the years I have discussed Gandhi with many Americans, both formally and informally. . . .What continues to irk me is the amount of Gandhi "propaganda material" that has flooded our libraries and bookstores.For an unsuspecting Westerner, the reading of Gandhi as he is portrayed on these shelves can bring about the intended result.That is understandable.This book is an attempt to close the gap between the popularized Gandhi and the historical Gandhi.This book will incite readers to be more open-minded and to seek to validate the "truths" presented.My hope is that it will provoke honest, healthy, and open dialogue and foster more critical scrutiny about him. . . .

Years of dedicated research on Gandhi convinced me that our hero was fundamentally a racist.In this book, I present the facts.The evidence presented here is not a matter of speculation or distorted interpretation.Much of the irrefutable evidence lay buried beneath a mountain of Gandhi's own writings - in his own words, which I have uncovered - comments that will be difficult to dispute once they are read.In this book you will read the evidence in its entirety.My primary intention is to untangle the web that Gandhi weaved - and his followers are still weaving - for many years.Only through a methodical probing can we expose Gandhi's campaign of deception: the lies, the propaganda, the misinformation, the half-truths, and the efforts to hide behind religion.Where Gandhi left off, his followers have picked up, and they continue their own sophisticated campaigns, both in India and abroad.This book should not be looked upon as another Gandhi biography.Rather, it should provide a standard by which to weigh the Gandhian literature for accuracy and objectivity.Also this book, though narrowly focused, should stand as a guide alerting us to how thoroughly the Gandhi propagandists and others have succeeded in deceiving us. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Don't need to read the book
I didn't read the book, but I understood what the author is upto and I don't need to read it. The author wants 'cheap' popularity. What else is the best way to get it, by throwing mud on such a great person as Gandhi? We have to remember, Gandhi is not a god, he is only a man, but a great man with far more great qualities and less weaknesses than the rest of us. Since he is a man, he didn't show any miracles like Lord Krishna or Rama, instead he acquired the wisdom and just did his best to remove unjustices perpetrated by his fellow human beings on others. So he just did what is humanly possible. So criticizing him as racist for not helping some people doesn't make sense. If he is not the ideal human being, then no other 'man' is born on the earth till date (Lord Krishna and Jesus are gods).

Gandhi: The Racist Under the Cloak of Ascribed Divinity
Singh's book, Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity is a courageous rendition. I'm surprised at the audacity of this author to coin such a despicable portraiture of a popular Mahatma. That such a characterization of Gandhi as a racist is not so palatable. In stead of posting my opinion right away, however, to be honest to my self and the author, I had to read the book with a great deal of initiative, and admit that such vast evidence as Singh has incorporated and more particularly in parts 2, 4, 6 of his book cannot be overlooked. The evidence seems to suggest, rahter substantiate taht Gandhi - although born in a merchant caste (not a ruling class), a third ranking tier in the caste system - has adopted the mindset of a racist. To the extent Gandhi demonstrated his approach towards blacks in South Africa and untouchables in India, he comes across as a Hindu fundamentalist and racist. In not the author himself a racist? He states on p. 15 that he was born in an upper caste. Caste system is the most insidious form of racism existing today. Sikhism does not officially recognize caste. Yet Singh mentioned his caste despite the context. Are not all those people racists who silently seek to claim or maintain their status quo in some form or other? The author says that he was unveiling a "new" Gandhi (Part 5)? Unveiling a new Gandhi? In what way is he a new Gandhi if he were a racist and a Hindu fundamentalist? Is that not an old Gandhi with caste all over his face? What does the author mean here? Does he mean that a new Gandhi is a kind of racial bigot underneath the ascribed cloak of divinity? I believe this book requires further investigation as to its historical accuracy.

A timely subject, superficially addressed
The author links Gandhi with 4 offenses: 1) India's development of nuclear weapons; 2) the murder of a white American; 3) the habit of some writers to accept Gandhi uncritically; 4) Gandhi's failure to resist additional injustices during his active career.

As to the first, the link is really too preposterous for discussion. As to the second, that would be a matter for the appropriate authorities, if there were any truth to it.
As to the third, Gandhi himself often cautioned people not to accept his ideas unless they made sense, and certainly not on his authority only. As to the fourth, it is true that Gandhi began his career in South Africa where his fellow Indians were part of an oppressive social structure, with white settlers at the top, Indian indentured workers and merchants in the middle, and black natives at the bottom. Gandhi identified with the Indians and struggled to improve their condition; and he did not address the problems of the black natives. In this sense, one could call Gandhi a "racist". Also, Gandhi was born into the ruling class of India, and did not immediately renounce all privilege. Gradually he gave up worldly power and wealth, but it is possible to say he was not completely consistent about it. Personally, I find such criticism silly.

Historical Revision at its worst
I have no problem reading criticisms of gandhi and his ideas, but this book goes beyond that. It denies the very escence of gandhis teachings for no other purpose than to do just that. The Historian who wrote this is a revisionist. While at times, Revisionism can be helpful in understanding characters-this is revisionism for revionism sake. The claim of the book that gandhi was a racist and hindu fundamentalist is absolutly absurd when one reads gandhis writings on religion and truth, "differen't roads converging at the same point," is not a mark of fundamentalism. I found this book to be very poor in trying to be overly critical, and took many parts of gandis life out of context

"Gandhi Behind the Mask" is a unique book of its kind.
G.B. Singh's "GANDHI BEHIND THE MASK OF DIVINITY" appears as an unprecedented historical investigative work. In my survey of Gandhian literature published since 1919, I have not come across a book of such magnitude. The author's comprehensive and detailed portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi as a racist and a militant Hindu fundamentalist is indeed a radical deviation from the popular image of Gandhi. Such a controversial rendition of Gandhi is bound to generate further research. No human being should be beyond controversy. In that sense, the author's immense contribution is highly commendable.

In Singh's view, Gandhian social philosophy of racism is either directly derived or synonymous with the teachings of Hinduism.
The author appears to substantiate his view from several angles. As a practicing Hindu, Gandhi could not be otherwise.

Singh's intricate hermeneutics of multiple issues about India, and Gandhi demands careful historical analysis. I do not claim to have fathomed the depths of his insight. One thing I am sure, Gandhian scholars cannot afford to bypass this book. The luxury of stereotyping has apparently ended. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent introductory biography on Grant for young kids
For young readers who want their biographies filled with lots of pictures, the Profiles of the Presidents series seeks to oblige. This look at Ulysses S. Grant by Jean Kinney Williams contains historical illustrations on every single page. However, the strength of this particular juvenile biography is that it provides not only the basic biographical details of Grant's life, but it also covers the significant aspects of his administrations as President, much more so than similar volumes I have read. Williams begins the book with Grant's transition from General to President and then looks at how his early successes and failures set the stage for becoming the general that President Lincoln finally found to lead the Union armies to victory in the Civil War. Each book in the Profiles of the Presidents series features a glossary, fast facts about the president, a parallel timeline of world and presidential events, resources to help young readers understand the president's life and times better, and an index. Consequently, this is an excellent first biography for younger kids to read as a way of finding out more about Ulysses S. Grant. ... Read more

Book Description

EL CHE GUEVARA - La biografía
328 pages - IN SPANISH

This most commendable biography by one of Argentina's sharpest politics analysts, based on the deep knowledge of the Argentine socio-political background from which the Che stemmed out, explains many of the guerrilla leader's attitudes and sheds a new light rekindling the hope that the Cuban people, throughout a process of gradual reforms, may regain its essential freedoms without sacrificing any of its achievements in the education, scientific research and social legislation fields. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very rewarding read
I enjoyed this book very much. The contrast between Grant (who led a hard scrabble life, even resorting to selling firewood by the side of the road to make a living) and Lee (perhaps the greatest man of the South) and Grant's triumph was a great story. You get a great introduction to the Civil War, even though there is a focus on the Virginia campaign because this is a biography of these two men, not an overall history of the Civil War. Highly recommended.

Lee and Grant
Gene Smith's Lee And Grant was a well-written documentation of the lives of these Civil War generals. The way the book was set up kept it interesting and almost fun to read. The format was such that consecutive chapters paralleled each man's life. For instance the first chapter pertained to Lee's father and his childhood while the second chapter was about Grant's Father and childhood. One warning I have to potential readers: this is a great book for those interested in the Civil War and these two men. If one doesn't have any interest in the topic, then this book is not for them. There aren't and underlying driving plots or surprises that make the book suspenseful. This is a historical piece highlighting two great men in our country's history. It's a great book for those who want to read specifically about these two men, not for a reader just looking for a book to read.

Outstanding history of the Civil War and two great men
I was enthralled by the unique view that this book afforded. I have read many histories of the Civil War from many perspectives. This is the first time that I was introduced to these two pivotal historical figures from the human side. The juxtaposition of each of them to the other was very helpful to put the time and sequences of the war into perspective and give true scale to all that happened.

Scottish Generals
The genealogical material included in this book allows the reader to see that both of these generals were of Scottish extraction, both raised with honor, and both excellent examples of Scottish-American heroes.

A Highly Readable History of the Civil War !
In telling the stories of Lee and Grant, Smith is really writing a neat book on the Civil War. I found this book to be very informative and highly readable. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Chancellorville. This is a pretty basic book. A good starting point for anyone interested in the Civil War or just looking for a good basic overview. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

THE BOOK HAS NO PEERS
I bought it during Christmas in 1992... And u know what; It`s the definitive book on Judy!!!It really is an open love-letter 2 the Great 1 From 1 Of Her Fans....At times u might say that John Fricke is glorifying Judy - but I don`t mind... It`s the kind of book u would want if u were on a desert island(with the CD`s "Judy at Carnegie Hall", "The London Sessions" and the "25th Retrospective"(compiled by Fricke) and the films "The Wizard Of Oz", "Meet Me in St. Louis", "The Pirate", "Easter Parade", "In the Good Old Summertime", "Summer Stock", "A Star is Born"(just 4 the musical scenes) and "I Could Go On Singing" - her BEST dramatic performance!! And The DVD collection of her 1963-64 TV-series...

Come 2 think of it... With THIS book and her music and films... I THINK I wouldn`t have noticed the palms, animals and ocean surrounding me on that island hehehehe

One of the all-time great books about the magnificent JUDY!
Along with Gerold Frank's 1975 biography "JUDY", John Fricke's book THE WORLD'S GREATEST ENTERTAINER is the definitive book about the sensational talent and fascinating life of the legendary lady. Fricke has done the research that no one before him could do to really give a broad insight into the career that has made Garland an icon. Beautifully written and handsomely illustrated, this is a book for the ages, and a must-have for any Garland fan. Anyone who doesn't love this book clearly hasn't a clue what great books are all about.

Judy: The World's Greatest Entertainer!
This book is simply marvelous!This book has hundreds and hundreds of crisp, clear pictures of Judy, many not previously published!
This book covers Judy's entire carear, from her first performace at age two until her death on June 22, 1969!This book is packed full of both black and white and color pictures!
All of her movies are covered in this book, as well as her hundreds of concerts particually the landmark concert on April 23, 1961 at Carnigie Hall! Also covered is her 1963- 1964 television show on CBS: The Judy Garland Show!
If your looking for information on Judy's career, this definatly is the right book for you! Or if your looking for lots and lots of pictures of Miss Garland and all her movies, this is still the right book for you!
If you just love Judy in any way at all, and want more information on her life, this is the book to buy!

If you love Judy Garland than this is a must!
If you just love Judy Garland, then this is a "must have" book. Refreshingly, Judy Garland-World's Greatest Entertainer is not written inthe tabloid style of many of the prolific biographies about Judy.

This isan open, honest almost scholarly look at Judy's life. It spans hertheatrical career from age two until her tragic death at ageforty-seven.

The text is a rich and lavish exposition that has beenwritten by a man who obviously loves Judy's talent and his admiration showsin his thoughtful manner in which he presents the great legacy that wasJudy's life.

If "a picture is worth a thousand words" then this book hasto be one of the richest in publishing history. There are dozens of blackand white stills but also the book contains more color photographs than Ihave ever seen on Judy.

This book is of the quality in a book that wecall "coffee table" eye catchers. When you buy this book, do yourself afavor and read it from cover to cover.It belongs in every library of Judylovers.Then if you wish, put it on the coffee table.

It is thisMunchkin's opinion that John Fricke is the world-leading expert on the lifeand times of Judy Garland.

One more "albeit" and I'll scream
I am horrified by the poor quality of writing in this work. In particular, the tedious use of the word "albeit" reflects a poverty of vocabulary rare for authors or journalists. Mr. Fricke would much benefitfrom a Thesaurus. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is THE Graham biography to buy
If you buy only one book about Billy Graham, this should be it. Wonderfully written, it is an objective view by a writer who had full access to Graham and his staff, and full freedom to write the truth. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

CHE was, is and forever will be the LATIN Role Model man.
Unfortunatly we have to hear the oppinion of Uneducated people
people like Elena Simeon from Havana, Cuba. From her review I
can guess that she was probaly raised on a wellof family like
most rich SCAMS-BUGS cubans in Miami. I am not including the
great majority of cubans in miami who have a heart bigger then
Fidel's for cuba. I am not an advocate of FIdel at all.
I think he is another educated failure of our times.
BUT CHE was different the man cared for people and he proved it.
If not ask most cubans, Congolises, Europeans ..... we need
more man who care for the children of this world.

Che Guevara Speaks: Selected Speeches and Writings
Anyone who has believed the myth of Che Guevara should read not only this book, but also the denunciation of his victims.

These speeches are mere propaganda a-la Stalin and Fidel Castro.

His victims, those who survived this man's criminal career, speak from their hearts and not from the powerful position that people like Che Guevara used to oppressed the Cuban people,

These faked prophets denied the Cuban people the freedom they professed were bringing!

Che Guevara today is no more that a sad caricature of what once was a powerful Orwellian propaganda machine.

The truth about this man will show up. Many were duped. Many wanted to believe this man. He died the same way he treated hundreds of Cubans in the firing squad under his direct orders.

Che Is A Guide For Action TODAY
The basics of the ideas that were the guide to Che Guevara's actions are all here.
The need for workers and farmers to support each others' struggles for freedom
without regard to borders ( working-class internationalism ); the impossibility of a peaceful or
electoral road to a "nice"; capitalism; the role of the political consciousness of the
working class-- and the need for workers to lead-- in the economic and political process of
building socialism; the struggle against bureaucracy; the role of revolutionary armed struggle
to defeat the most ruthless empire the world has ever seen--the Yanqui Empire; the
flowering of the individual under socialism and the building of a new human in the process of
revolutionary struggle;how we working people can improve ourselves as human
beings by participating in that struggle; all these themes to which Che returned again and
again as subjects to act on are in basic outline in this book. Here you will find, not the icon on
a poster or t-shirt, but the living world-revolutionary leader whose perspectives we need
today and will need tomorrow in the battle to bring down the U.S-the
last-Empire.

Why Washington Wanted Che Dead!
Read this book and you will understand why the CIA and the US military chased Che Guevara from Cuba to Africa to Bolivia to murder him.
Che was more than just a heroic revolutionary example for his time. He was an important revolutionary thinker who continued the ideas of real revolutionary Marxism against the awful vision of Stalinist dictatorship and reformist compliance with capitalism. In these speeches and articles, especially in his On Socialism and Man Che uses the practical experience of Cuba to continue Marx and Lenin's discussion of what the fight for socialism is all about. With the growing social and economic crisis in the world, with the need for anti-imperialist struggle in the Mid East, Korea, and Venezuela, Che's ideas are needed today as much or even more than when he lived. Also read Pathfinder's acclaimed editions of The Bolivian Diary of Ernesto Che Guevara and Che's
Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War, 1956-5

The best of Che
This book contains some of the great works of Ernesto Che Guevara, such as, "Socialism and Man in Cuba," a classic, and the speech to the Tricontinental Congress where he called for "Two, Three, Many Vietnams." If you only know Che as an icon on a poster or t-shirt, buy this book to read what he had to say. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A masterful achievement
"The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant" is a project begun in 1962 for the purpose of publishing all the known letters written by Ulysses S. Grant. Volume one was published in 1967 and there are now twenty-four volumes in the series. People who follow Grant's career are aware of the inestimable value of this project. The Papers contain all known correspondence written by Grant and letters received by him. The editing of the series is unparalleled and the volumes represent primary source material at its apex.

Those who believe Grant was a "drunkard" or a "butcher" should read his own words, which show Grant's humor, pathos and unique personality. Masterfully edited by John Y. Simon, these volumes are a "must have" for anyone with an interest in U.S. Grant as a general, a politician and as a man ... Read more

Book Description

A probing account of the life and death of a 1960s revolutionary icon, with a new chapter on the effects of his legacy today. For many people, Ernesto Che Guevara symbolizes the movement for social change that swept the world in the 1960s--a man who gave his life for his ideals. Whether the man made the legends or the legends made the man, a romantic aura has attached to Che, obscuring the political realities that motivated him. In this astute study of Che's life and his doomed campaign in Bolivia, which draws on extensive field research, Richard Harris considers the essential question: When Che Guevara was killed by the Bolivian Army in October 1967, did he die a hero, a martyr, or the victim of his own errors? Harris explores Che's youth and early political indoctrination and his association with Fidel Castro and the Soviet Communist parties. He follows Che as he traveled to China, to Africa, to Moscow, seeking to create an anti-imperialist front among the neutral nations of Asia and Africa. And he interviews politicians, government officials, and journalists in Bolivia, where Che went hoping to lead a peasant uprising and instead met his death. Death of a Revolutionary offers a rare, balanced look at the man behind the legend--and the circumstances that created him and shaped his choices. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A decent account into the death of an extraodinary man
Che Guevara is more than a communist rebel to a world citizen. He is the sign of inherent goodness. He offered his own life, the ultimate sacrifice to a cause he thought was right. We can debate whether the ends would have been the best or not for days. However, anyone informed would recognize that Guevara had good intentions.

This book is an important account on the last mission he embarked upon. Like other diaries and summaries of Che, this will be a non-fiction rollercoaster that will put you in the heart of South America, you will feel all the pains and all the gains he had. Every death, every ambush, every day its an adventure. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get acquainted or rationalize what communists really believed. This book is also ideal for someone who just wants a real story with a melodramatic rollercoaster feel to it.

Although Che's life was limited, not many men can claim they have experienced as much as he did. His life's fruits make him the true revolutionary of his time.

Excellent
An interesting look into the last days of Che's life and times. It is an easy read and any person could pick it up and be enveloped in the story that Che lived. Before Pablo Escobar or Bin Laden the US wanted him and Castro more than anything. This story truly gives the reader what stress and pressure Che was under trying to start a new revolution in South America. Excellent and readable. PCR, BA history

che lives
A pretty good book on Che for people who are studing him. May be alittle complex for beginners but all in all a great book on the legend! ... Read more