Che Guevara, the preeminent Latin-American revolutionary of the late twentieth century, was the symbol of radical egalitarianism and the war against social injustice. Gunned down in the jungles of southeastern Bolivia in 1967, his death is surrounded by questions that remain unanswered.

Paco Ignacio Taibo II probes Che's life with a storyteller's pen and an historian's judgment, delving into the mystery and myth surrounding Che's life, careers, and ideals. Taibo has access to archives open to few researchers, and he has reached a range of insiders who worked with, and fought beside, Che during the time of his revolutionary activity in Mexico, Cuba, Africa, and South America.

Also at Taibo's unique disposal is a previously unknown manuscript written by Che Guevara himself, describing his experiences in the Congo during the "missing year" in his life. Finally, Taibo offers up a solution to the mystery of Che's final days and death.