This work describes King Leopold II’s land grab of the Congo River area during the scramble for Africa of the late 19th century, which led to the deaths of 8 to 10 million Africans, the destruction of their societies, and the devastation of the area’s wild rubber plants. Each chapter takes on a different character or episode through the history. Starting with Stanley’s quest to find Livingstone and journeying through Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Hochschild does a fabulous job telling this brutal story through the eyes of people who lived it. Read more at my blog…
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This sounds really interesting, and I have no idea what that says about me.
It says you are an eclectic person! It is a great book. Really worth the read.
Just added it to my Amazon cart. I’m a huge fan of books that explore lesser-known bits of history, and I’ve had a small fascination with the Congo since I saw the film Lumumba some years ago (it’s a great flick, but of course, depressing as all hell). Great review, and thank you!