Over the past couple of months, I've read a few books that I didn't get a chance to review yet. These were all enjoyable in different ways and are recommended reads. A Will to Kill by R. V. Raman I've been looking for an Indian mystery for a while now. So when I came across A Will to Kill in Netgalley set in one of my favorite places in India (also close to my home town), I just had to request it. In so many ways, this is a typical Agatha Christie type mystery - there's a death (in an isolated mansion, no less) and the investigator/detective tries to solve the mystery. Harith Athreya is visiting the owner of the mansion, Bhaskar Fernandez, where a small gathering has been planned for the owner's relatives and friends. Bhaskar has written two wills - and how he dies will determine which will goes into effect. That night, there is a murder and Athreya spends the next few days trying to find the culprit. I generally enjoy the Agatha Christie class of murder mysteries.

Fueled by that impression, I started reading the journal on which the movie is based. There is something about reading journals that feels very raw. It was just as like reading Anne Frank's diary - a collection of daily thoughts jotted down to narrate some particular period in life. On its own, the diary is complete, but someone interested in the later life of Che Guevara will be interested in the implications of the diary records.
The Motorcycle Diaries is Che's account of his journey to explore South America with his friend, Alberto Granado, on an ancient Norton motorcycle. In the prologue, Che's father writes in the prologue,
I didn't realize then that his obsession with traveling was just another part of his zeal for learning. He knew that really to understand the needs of the poor he had to travel the world, not as a tourist stopping to take pretty pictures and enjoy the scenery, but in the way he did, by sharing the human suffering found at every bend in the road and looking for the causes of that misery.I found the start of the book to be slightly shaky and unsure, but that could be just me getting used to a person's style of writing.
I found I could empathize with Che when he narrated the sufferings of the people he came across. The mindsets of some people were very primitive, especially where leprosy is concerned, but that more or less was the basic belief held by most people across the world. Those suffering from leprosy were usually isolated thanks to the predominant thinking that the disease can be spread by touch. What Che and Alberto tried to do for these people was quite touching. But occasionally, Che falls into the same trap of ridiculing one set of people while focusing on another. I can't say I very much agreed with his line of thought at those points.
Many times, his entries were hilarious as well. Alberto and Che formed a charismatic duo. I liked them in the movie, and enjoyed their company even more in the book. The respect each had for the other was very evident. They were broke most of the time, so they had a string of stories construed to evoke sympathy among the listeners. Sometimes they were lucky to impress their audience enough to earn their lunch or be invited to parties.
Che's transition in his beliefs and the changes in his character are quite evident as we go from the first page to the last. There are stronger and harsher opinions, more analyses of the bias that exist and the stark contrast between the ways of life of the rich and the poor. His criticisms also become more pointed and specific, while his dreams and wishes get a clearer outline. There were times I lost the thread of his thoughts, especially when I was treated to an extensive narration of the history behind a place or people. In the end, I feel that I enjoyed the movie more than the book, but the book gave me a better historical reference than the movie.



I borrowed this book from the library.

Comments
I have a non-fiction account of his life on my book shelf that I have started many times but never been able to get into. I really admire people who are really able to live that they believe.
I am glad that I read your review.
Ellie
Thank you for such an excellent review :)