Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Quickly on Che

In the vague belief that two quick posts equals one with actual content here is a quick request.

Che, smiling, probably thinking of how funny people look when straffed from the airNext week it has fallen on me to do my famous talk on Ernesto 'Che' Guevara (Tuesday 20th Feb. Bun Shop, Kings St. 7.30 for 7.45 start) and seeing as I haven't done this talk for about three years I'm in the process of brushing up on the fella.

Now, I'm not saying he's been up to much in the intervening period, but you need to blow the dust off don't you? So my request is simple... what's your favourite Che anecdote? It doesn't have to show him in a good light (as many such anecdotes show Che to be an ambiguous figure to say the least) it just has to be a story or moment (or picture) that has stuck with you.

The prize is simple - it will get included in my talk and what higher accolade could there be? Well, money I suppose, but I'm too tight for that.

5 comments:

peter said...

If I lived closer to Nottingham (or is it Cambridge where you live - I forget), I'd come and see it.

And ambiguous figures are much more interesting than those portrayed as glorious heroes.

My Che anecdote is that my cousin named her son after him. This is not very interesting for your audience, but it would be immensely funny for me if nobody else replies and you are forced to include an anecdote that somebody you've met a couple of times has a second cousin called Che :)

Jim Jepps said...

Sunny Cambridge Peter, sunny Cambridge. Home of punting, Stephen Hawking and a massive toff / chav divide.

I could easily include this anecdote as a throwaway line... however let's see what else turns up!

It's a v. nice pic - although my favourite picture is the one I've put on the poster - which doesn't look like him at all! - If you search for Che on this blog you'll see it in an earlier quiz.

I think one of the main things that's striking about Che is that everyone knows his face - he's certainly an icon - but very few people know much else.

I may post my talk ( or a summary there of) next week.

AN said...

Well two tings I found out about Che recently are that when he came back from Africa he intervened to have thr trots freed from gaol, and he was caryinh a copy of Trotsky's history fo the russian revolution in his backpack when captured in Bolivia

(I hope that the bulky volume didn't slow him down and contribute to that sorry day!)

Noel Lynch said...

Che's father was later quoted that it was his Irish blood that made his son a rebel. He was of Irish desent on both sides of the family and the family name was Lynch.

Jim Jepps said...

You'll be pleased to know I used all four contributions, well, I only used half of Andy's I didn't mention he had the History on him when caught but did mention freeing the Trotskyists...

All that remains is to type it up, sigh