Book excerpt: Che Guevara is a legend. The son of Argentine intellectuals, he became first a physician, then a brilliant tactician who helped lead the revolution in Cuba, then an enduring, almost mythical icon of revolutionary struggles all over the world. Though he was killed more than 30 years ago, his name and image remain uniquely compelling and mysterious. What makes him so fascinating? What actions and accomplishments set him apart from his contemporaries and continue to capture our imagination today? In this concise, informative biography you’ll explore: • Guevara's boyhood, background, and development into a radical. • The profound impact a medical condition had on him throughout his life. • His role in the Cuban Revolution and later liberation movements in Latin America and Africa. • The mystery surrounding his death in Bolivia in 1967. The Critical Lives series takes a biographical look at pivotal, fascinating people and a critical look at the work and accomplishments that, rightly or wrongly, made them unique, influential, and enduring. Discover the events that shaped their lives and how they came to shape our world.