Ernesto “Che” Guevara twice traveled across Latin America in the early 1950s. Based on his accounts of those trips (published in English as The Motorcycle Diaries and Back on the Road), as well as other historical sources, Che’s Travels follows Guevara, country by country, from his native Argentina through Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela, and then from Argentina through Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico. Each essay is focused on a single country and written by an expert in its history. Taken together, the essays shed new light on Che’s formative years by analyzing the distinctive societies, histories, politics, and cultures he encountered on these two trips, the ways they affected him, and the ways he represented them in his travelogues. In addition to offering new insights into Guevara, the essays provide a fresh perspective on Latin America’s experience of the Cold War and the interplay of nationalism and anti-imperialism in the crucial but relatively understudied 1950s. Assessing Che’s legacies in the countries he visited during the two journeys, the contributors examine how he is remembered or memorialized; how he is invoked for political, cultural, and religious purposes; and how perceptions of him affect ideas about the revolutions and counterrevolutions fought in Latin America from the 1960s through the 1980s. Contributors Malcolm Deas Paulo Drinot Eduardo Elena Judith Ewell Cindy Forster Patience A. Schell Eric Zolov Ann Zulawski

Matthew, a sophomore at Humboldt State University, wants to study abroad. He currently excels in his studies, and he feels it’s time to leave the country. He one day runs to the study-abroad office on campus and asks if his school has a program for Japan. Unfortunately, the school has no program to go to the country, but they recommend him to a language program in China. Seeking freedom from boredom, Matthew, a young American college student, decides to embark on the trip of a lifetime to Xi’an. There, he has the task of learning one of the world’s most difficult languages, Mandarin Chinese. Xi’an, home to some of China’s most notable dynasties, is enriched with culture and beauty. Matthew’s goal is to endure this language-intensive program and then flee to Japan. Before he can do this, he has to endure six months of living in Communist China. Matthew has no knowledge of China, and more importantly, he still is in the crossroad of finding his destiny. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Matthew enters China innocent and unprepared. Having a history of poor academics, his goal is to discover the art of studying and learning. Matthew leaves home, unaware of the characters he will meet and the inspiration he will gain. Matthew is in for an eye-opening experience from one of the world’s greatest civilizations.

Explores ghosts and haunted places, local legends, cursed roads, crazy characters, and unusual roadside attractions found in the United States.