And Heroism in Colonial Africa - A Story of Greed

Sad and not so shocking that another myth of civilized countries committing unspeakable act because they can. It's also interesting that a group today who oversees atrocities is based in Belgium. Huh? No indications at all must stressed that they are not doing a fine job;just ironic. My wife believes in redemption. Me, not so sure.
Read it and make your own opinion.

Enlightening and haunting all at once. Very balanced writing. I never felt like the author had an agenda other than to inform, which is hard to avoid when writing a book with such deep political implications. I am reading my kindle version for a second time and intend to get the hardback when done. I will be recommending this book to very many in my future.

Finally a book that tells the truth about the forgotten Congo. For anyone planning to travel or live in Congo, this book will help you understand it's tragic history and therefore it's present day people. Even if you don't plan to travel there, it is a compelling read, a tale of what happens when a majority close their eyes and ears to the truth. This is a tragic, mesmerising and yet ultimately victorious tale. A must read.

what a common people knew about the colonial africa , in case of not a personal involvement, is related to the fights of liberation , independe or whatever you named, but a desclosure of this kind of criminal behavior if far away from us
The King, no matter how was in knowlege of this affais, never could disguise is fault and responsability, pèrhaps the XX centrury africa and a great part of their situations , took is roots in this behaviors.

I believe that Adam Hochschild's book is well researched and well written. In it he discusses all of the major characters in what is an almost unbelievable episode at the end of the 19th century that led to a single man being in control of such a vast section of Africa. Leopold himself comes across as an envious and avaricious monarch desperate for Belgium to have a colony as the other European monarchies had. He emerges in the end as a small insecure and pathetic character. Others who are connected to the story of the Belgian Congo straddle both the evil and the noble sides of human nature. Henry Morton Stanley falls into the first group and several humanitarians who campaigned tirelessly to expose the terrible abuses in the Congo fall into the second. The story if how these various individuals impacted and influenced the lives of those who were suffering under a brutal and hidden forced labor system is the uplifting part of what overall is a very grim book. At times it reads like a catalogue of atrocities that were inflicted upon the poor souls who were unlucky enough to live in the Congo during this period. As a look into how past events have influenced the tough history of the 20th century in Central Africa, King Leopold's Ghost is must reading. However it is history that is as stomach turning as it is enlightening.

I enjoyed this book because I knew absolutely nothing about the colonization of the Congo or the other surrounding nations of Central Africa. Every page was an exploration for me, and I read it like a mystery, not knowing how the story would end. I would have rated the book a 5, but at times, I found the narrative repetitive and seemingly without point. Yes, there was shocking, institutionalized brutality, but you only need to read a dozen accounts of the brutality to get the key points. I would have liked for the author to provide a few more chapters at the end about the transition from a Belgian colony to an independent nation. Overall, a great read and another reminder that history is replete with acts of genocide.

A fascinating guide to a dark episode of colonialism about which I'd previously known nothing. King Leopold, second king of Belgium, wanted a colony, and found one in the middle of Africa. Over twenty years, he extracted millions of dollars worth of ivory, rubber, and other commodities. We are still living with the repercussions of his actions.

Breathtaking; heart wrenching; great flow; beautifully written. Listened to the audio because was the only thing available from the public library....could not stop listening, rewinding, listening. Had to add to my library.

Excellent book. It amazed me that the greed and callousness of a king of a small country in Europe could have such devastating consequences to millions of Africans. Well written book that kept my interest throughout.

To enter a more equal future, it is essential that we understand our past, this book provides that understanding. For our children and grandchildren to be up encumbered by our life decisions we must similarly accept our inheritances without caveat, this book challenges us to do that. To be fully human is to accept that we have the potential for unimaginable barbarity, this book asks us to acknowledge that while demanding we confront our potential with deference. More than all of this, this book reminds one that to have a better future demands that we confront evil wherever and whenever we meet it.

A fascinating history of King Leopold's rapacious treatment of the Africa as the insanely greedy King created and pillaged the resources of the Belgium Congo. It also profiles the two young men who risked their careers and lives to expose the atrocities and bring a semblance of justice to bear. The book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the challenges of the Democratic Republic of the Congo today.

Very interesting and chilling. Old Leopold was a true weirdo and not of the "fun " type. His motivations were fascinating and just about everyone involved was pretty awful. A slice of history that deserves attention.

A fascinating account of a little known, but unfortunately major, story. King Leopold actually owned the Belgian Congo as a private land holding. As absolute monarch, what he allowed to happen is a tale of horror writ large; colonialism at its worst with genocide and racism running rampant. The book suffers from a real lack of statistics, but this is evidently not the author's fault. No one seems to have bothered with keeping comprehensive records of the native population and its decimation.

I read this historical account after reading Barbara Kingsolver's POISONWOOD BIBLE. KING LEOPOLD'S GHOST is an incredibly interesting and readable history of the Congo region and about the European "heroes" that left their marks there. Hochschild reveals the truth about the development of the Congo and Belgium's King Leopold II. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down. Really well written.

Thoughtful, well-researched retelling if a brutal regime and its legacy. Particularly strong when it reminds us of the voices we don’t hear and why. Doesn’t settle for a one-sided story, but is clear in its anti colonial commitments.

This book was incredibly well researched and full of fascinating facts without overwhelming you with details. The history it discusses is important to know and yet very little is ever taught in school. I consider this an easy read for its structure and I could not put the book down. Some of the atrocities depicted are a little hard to stomach but again important to learn about this part of history.

Oh my, every European should read this book. If they think American's created slavery, they need to think again. I was stunned by the cruelty and lack of respect for human life. No wonder Africa is on fire. The warlords are simply follow their master's lead. They rule from force and overpowering of their people.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, for the price of admission (< $10 w/shipping) it was well worth it. If you have any interest in history, read up on this somewhat forgotten period of African colonialism told in such a way I felt as if I was watching a miniseries. Rich backdrops, dubious characters, and a gripping true story await.

An excellent account of forgotten atrocities committed under the pretence of development and humanitarian works. I t shows the prejudice and greed can drive human beings to treat one another with incredible cruelty. Adam Hochschild did exceptional job in capturing and presenting the sufferings and the humiliation of the natives and highlighting the acts of those who exposed the happenings in the Congo for all the world to see. Definitely one of my all time favourite books.

What is most depressing about this book is that, in the year 2006, most people do not even know that 10 million people were killed in such a callous way. The lives of black people are so devalued, even now.

Hochschild does a good job of chronicling the worst of what happened, particularly in detailing the efforts of a couple of unsung African-American heros of the Congo horrors who few people know about, William Sheppard and George Washington Williams.

Anyone who thinks this story proves that good ultimately triumphed over evil is way off base. The whistle blowers paid heavy prices. One was driven to suicide. They all had their reputations dragged into the mud. Some had to go on trial as if they were the bad guys. Meanwhile, Leopold was allowed to continue his murderous activities for years after Morel, Williams, Sheppard, and others blew the whistle on him. As this book details, Britain and Belgium allowed Leopold to continue his murderous behavior until he became too much of an embarassment with his underage girlfriend and also when it became clear the profits from the death, enslavement, castration, child molestation, and rape of all those black people where not being properly shared with other white folks.

Disgracefully, even then, as this book chronicles, the Congo rubber trade continued after Leopold had to give up control of the Congo. Let us be for real about this. Belgium is still, to this day, abusing Africans in the Great Lakes region (research Belgium's role in the Rwanda genocide).

And, even after being forced to give up the Congo, Leopold still got a nice fat golden parachute, instead of what he deserved, which was a lifetime sentence of hard labor.

Justice is not served when 10 million black people die, and the white guy who engineered it gets to walk away with fat pockets and no jail time.

Horrific biography about a horrific man. If alive today he would be on trial for crimes against humanity. He's right up there with the worst history has ever offered.Those who supported him could possibly be worse.

An excellent account of forgotten atrocities committed under the pretence of development and humanitarian works. I t shows the prejudice and greed can drive human beings to treat one another with incredible cruelty. Adam Hochschild did exceptional job in capturing and presenting the sufferings and the humiliation of the natives and highlighting the acts of those who exposed the happenings in the Congo for all the world to see. Definitely one of my all time favourite books.

What is most depressing about this book is that, in the year 2006, most people do not even know that 10 million people were killed in such a callous way. The lives of black people are so devalued, even now.

Hochschild does a good job of chronicling the worst of what happened, particularly in detailing the efforts of a couple of unsung African-American heros of the Congo horrors who few people know about, William Sheppard and George Washington Williams.

Anyone who thinks this story proves that good ultimately triumphed over evil is way off base. The whistle blowers paid heavy prices. One was driven to suicide. They all had their reputations dragged into the mud. Some had to go on trial as if they were the bad guys. Meanwhile, Leopold was allowed to continue his murderous activities for years after Morel, Williams, Sheppard, and others blew the whistle on him. As this book details, Britain and Belgium allowed Leopold to continue his murderous behavior until he became too much of an embarassment with his underage girlfriend and also when it became clear the profits from the death, enslavement, castration, child molestation, and rape of all those black people where not being properly shared with other white folks.

Disgracefully, even then, as this book chronicles, the Congo rubber trade continued after Leopold had to give up control of the Congo. Let us be for real about this. Belgium is still, to this day, abusing Africans in the Great Lakes region (research Belgium's role in the Rwanda genocide).

And, even after being forced to give up the Congo, Leopold still got a nice fat golden parachute, instead of what he deserved, which was a lifetime sentence of hard labor.

Justice is not served when 10 million black people die, and the white guy who engineered it gets to walk away with fat pockets and no jail time.

Horrific biography about a horrific man. If alive today he would be on trial for crimes against humanity. He's right up there with the worst history has ever offered.Those who supported him could possibly be worse.

Did not know anything about the exploitation and atrocities committed in that time period by King Leopold's business venture in the Congo. Very well researched book and very enjoyable to read. This book brings to light acts of cruelty and callousness committed solely for greed and as the author points out, even though it can not be considered a true genocide (since it did not target a specific group) the waste and destrucition of human life that went on for decades there is appalling.

Shocking and educational at the same time.

The story on Belgian Congo under King Leopold II might very well be the story of the most cruel and evil empire in modern times.

The story on how King Leopold II managed to build up this entire country, bleed it dry and keep the facts of what happened hidden away from the rest of the world for two decades is thrilling and fascinating.

Nicely written expose of the brutal slaughter and forced labor in the Belgian Congo. And just as the winds of self-determination swept across the continent in the 1960s and finally allowed Congo to elect their first prime minister, to our rescue comes the US/CIA in cohorts with the Belgians and assassinates the left-leaning elected Lumumba and then installs the dictator Mobutu instead, ensuring that nothing really changes in the Congo as far as the natives are concerned. What else is new.

Hochschild's wonderfully written history of Leopold's outrageous colonial scheme brings to life remarkable personalities, presenting a vast canvas of human suffering and some of the heroic attempts at redemption. The fascinating array of personalities and historical forces makes this book a page turner from beginning to end. Leopold's disgusting avarice and the greed of his minions brought horror on a scale unimaginable in those times and created the first modern "human rights" campaign. This book is a "must" for serious students of colonialism, Africa, and human rights, to name but a few areas of study it touches on.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book about colonization of the Congo. Very sad and informative. It spurred my interest in reading more about the area, the people and the after-effects. Highly enjoyed. It was well written and researched.

This book is factually written without racial biase by the Author and that is commendable.Its a story of colonialism and what it stood for.An eye opening ,Exiting, sad,and shocking account in Belgium Congo a mirror reflection of what happened in the rest of Africa during colonialism.

The sad story of how a Belgium King conquered the Congo using Africans as slaves. King Leopold carried out a reign of terror against the people of that land, many of them peaceful. He hid his brutality from Europeans as he stripped the country first of its rubber and then it's other mineral wealth. He used his wealth primarily to enrich himself and did little for the Belgian citizens. His barbarity was ultimately discovered. The only value if there was any, was that the dense impenetrable jungle was opened to the world.

Good book. Works well if you read INTO AFRICA by Martin Dugard because it covers a lot of the same area. This book offers a brutal glimpse at European colonization of Africa. Not for the faint of heart.

This is an excellent recounting of a colonial history and atrocity that is not as widely known as it should be. Adam Hochschild teaches narrative writing at the School of Journalism, and his writing skill is apparent. This is readable, accurate history that is neither ponderous nor pedantic. Highly recommended.

This book is a must for those interested in development or institutional economics, African Politics, and History. It is very instructive. the store did an outstanding job by shortening the expected delivery date. I got the book in my mailbox early than expected. the store kept me updated through text messages until the book was put in my mailbox. Amazing!

It was an interesting, intriguing look at how we arrived at our present world crisis. The roles of the shapers of the plunder of Africa were well researched and absorbing. Having glimpses into their narcissistic , ego driven mindset was most enlightening.

Vivid and well documented account, not of "The Belgian Congo," but what preceded it, a three-decade personal colony of the Belgian King, Leopold: A three-decade military exploitation by a private company and private army, for the benefit of private companies.