About this Event
Welcome to the June 2024 Social Theory Book Club!
Come join us for an engaging discussion on:
The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto "Che" Guevara
The Motorcycle Diaries is a posthumously published memoir of the Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. It traces his early travels, as a 23-year-old medical student. Leaving Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January 1952 on the back of a sputtering single cylinder 1939 Norton 500cc dubbed La Poderosa ("The Mighty One"), they desired to explore the South America they only knew from books.
During the formative odyssey Guevara is transformed by witnessing the social injustices of exploited mine workers, persecuted communists, ostracized lepers, and the tattered descendants of a once-great Inca civilization. By journey's end, they had travelled for a "symbolic nine months" by motorcycle, steamship, raft, horse, bus, and hitchhiking, covering more than 8,000 kilometres (5,000 mi) across places such as the Andes, the Atacama Desert, and the Amazon River Basin.
Whether you're a skilled reader or just starting out, this is a space to delve into thought-provoking ideas and connect with others wanting to engage in political and social theory.
This meeting is in person, to nurture vibrant conversations and a dynamic exchange of ideas to foster a sense of community.
We encourage you to review what the text is saying as you work through the book on your own. Take notes on what you're unsure of, what you think the author is trying to say, and what you agree or disagree with.
Every person's understanding and input during the meeting will help shape the dialogue and create value out of our discussion. You will never be the only person who might be confused or who finds the text difficult. If you find the book too challenging and you do not finish, it is still encouraged that you come to the meeting at the end of the month. It's okay if you think you don't understand it, because you'll come to book club and learn as much as you can!
Additional readings:
Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson
Additional readings will be included for each month if people want to expand their understanding and knowledge on a particular topic. If possible, other types of media may be shared as well. None of the additional materials will be necessary to understand the discussion at the book club meeting and are purely supplemental for members to further one's own knowledge on topics.
Mark your calendars and get ready for our June meeting for the Social Theory Bookclub!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Ten Toes Coffee House & Laundry, 837 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, Canada
CAD 0.00