Simon Reid-Henry

I found the book to be a fascinating look at two extraordinary people. The book worked on numerous levels. As a dual biography, it presented new intimate information and painted a full portrait of each of them and their friendship. As a history of the revolution and and Cuba, it once again gave a full and detailed picture, particularly up until Che's death. The book suggests that neither would have been nearly so effective or great without the other. They checked each others excesses, and show more spurred each other on. Likewise, the history of that time can be best understood by encompassing the influence of both men. No matter what one thinks of the Cuban revolution, Simon Reid-Henry presents an engaging and interesting story. show less

As I've recently returned from Argentina, "Fidel and Che" addressed a topic of great interest to me and provided a directed look into leftist politics throughout Latin America in the mid-20th century. The descriptions of the truly international formation of our title characters opened my eyes to ways that "Latin America" exists as a transnational category, although the political histories of its nations vary extensively. This dual biography represents a relatively friendly approach to these show more divisive leftist leaders, which is a useful corrective to other recent and harsher biographies.
While reading, I was constantly reminded of "The Boys From Dolores," a much more readable (although anti-Castro to the point that I begin to question its usefulness) group biography of Castro's classmates at a Cuban prep school. The audience of this book is a little unclear--the book wavers between the precise details and footnotes expected for a scholarly audience, and the sweeping generalizations that characterize popular history. Despite this unevenness, the book held my interest as long as I skipped a few pages every now and again, and I learned a lot from it. show less

I liked the way it began with Fidel and Che with their men about to board the Granma to begin their fateful journey to Cuba to start the revolution, then cuts back to their individual childhoods to help understand how they got there. They were extraordinarily determined, resilient, and focused; and that is what made them the legendary figures that they are.

Despite the dozen or so typos, this was an extremely enjoyable read. Simon Reid-Henry must have done an amazing amount of research. It show more is extremely detailed with only a few (admitted) speculations.

I would recommend this book to anyone, even if you aren't interested in the history of the Cuban revolution or even interested in Fidel or Che, you will benefit from this very well written account of two men that wanted a better life for the Cuban people and suppressed people everywhere. show less

I closed this book aware of their differences. Che was more complex, more daring, trying to accompany his actions with reflections on paper, a poet not a politician, still lugging books in the ravines of Bolivia. Both men, often in military fatigues, harked back to the novice days in the Sierra, but only Che tried to recapture these thrills as a barbudo on the road again. As embodied in this cleverly constructed dual biography, their friendship in revolution emanates an aura of nostalgia, of show more a golden age.

Jason Wilson is professor emeritus of Latin American literature at UCL show less