Che Guevara’s Face: How a Cuban Photographer’s Image Became a Cultural Icon

The image is instantly recognizable. Che Guevara’s photograph has been reproduced around the world and is so ubiquitous it now encompasses perhaps every meaning. Here is the story behind the photo, laying bare the history of the man and his cause as well.

This book is a great introduction to Guevara and the history of the Cuban revolution. Everyone recognizes this photo, but the history behind it is probably less well-known, especially to teens who unknowingly wear Guevara’s image on their swag, trying to project an image of rebellion and independence. This book is particularly well-suited to that audience so that teens can understand what they may be endorsing with this photo. The book is pretty well balanced; while it presents the views of those who adulate Guevara, it doesn’t shy (much) from the violence he and his men committed against civilians or from the socialist dictatorship that resulted after the revolution of which Guevara was a part, and it refuses to take a side. This is a great, short biography not only of the subject but of the photo itself, and it will spark discussion of the power of imagery and media as well as of Guevara’s controversial legacy.