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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Great book — the readability is highhhh — I feel like this is a mix of Larson prose-approach + cinematic framing (like Devil in the White City) with Chang-type (Rape of Nanking) complexity + nuance re genocidal acts. An adaptation of this book would make for great TV series; the overarching positioning of Leopold vs Casemant + Morel plays brilliantly.
King Leopold II is highkey twins with Trump, especially Trump 2.0
“Every state or company post in the rubber areas had a stockade for hostages.”
“…where then are the kindly heart, the pitiful thought — together vanished.”
“I do not agree with you that England and America are the two great humanitarian powers…[They are] materialistic first and humanitarian only a century after.”
“With American and European approval, the country’s wealth flowed mainly into the pockets of the Messiah and foreign mining companies.”
“We live in a world of corpses, and only about some of them is there a hue and cry.”
King Leopold II is highkey twins with Trump, especially Trump 2.0
“Every state or company post in the rubber areas had a stockade for hostages.”
“…where then are the kindly heart, the pitiful thought — together vanished.”
“I do not agree with you that England and America are the two great humanitarian powers…[They are] materialistic first and humanitarian only a century after.”
“With American and European approval, the country’s wealth flowed mainly into the pockets of the Messiah and foreign mining companies.”
“We live in a world of corpses, and only about some of them is there a hue and cry.”
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Many of the nonfiction books I’ve read on the Congo have highlighted the deposition of Lumumba, as well as the ways in which our current technocracy continues to pillage and colonize the cobalt mines of the Congo. “King Leopold’s Ghost” (KLG) was a fresh new perspective for me, in the way that it dove more deeply into the ways in which Congo started out as the “Belgian Congo” and Adam Hochschild is definitely an author I would reach for again in the future.
The narrative Hochschild paints in KLG is immensely accessibly, diverging away from the need to drown readers in a myriad of historical years and dates. Instead, the author zeroes in on specific key players that contributed to King Leopold’s fight to colonize the Congo, building these individual stories in a way that felt personable. This was accomplished through what felt like the momentous task of combing through mountains upon mountains of correspondence between the historical figures that Hochschild researches, and this is confirmed as fact when he mentions the ways in which he had to scour countless libraries for books that had not been checked out in decades, in order to find specific letters. The research for this book is such a labor of love, and this comes through loud and clear in how painstakingly detailed each storyline is. From David Livingstone to King Leopold himself, the author allows for an almost conversational tone with which he writes their stories, resulting in a nonfiction historical book that is compulsively readable.
In addition, the storyline this book is so refreshing in that it never shies away from how the atrocities committed against the Congo are all at the hands of extractive colonization. To that end, Hochschild takes the argument further, analyzing why it was so popular to critique the subjugation of the Congolese while the countries performing the critiques were also committing violent atrocities against people in the Global South (namely highlighting the colonization of the Philippines at the hands of the United States government). My one and only small critique (and one that is a little selfish) is how I felt that the more recent events of Congo history felt very much breezed over, as I would’ve greatly enjoyed Hochschild’s perspective on the more recent uprisings and coups within Congo. All in all, an excellent historical nonfiction, and definitely one of my favorites highlighting the ways in which the Congo has, and continues, to suffer under the brute forces of the Global North.
The narrative Hochschild paints in KLG is immensely accessibly, diverging away from the need to drown readers in a myriad of historical years and dates. Instead, the author zeroes in on specific key players that contributed to King Leopold’s fight to colonize the Congo, building these individual stories in a way that felt personable. This was accomplished through what felt like the momentous task of combing through mountains upon mountains of correspondence between the historical figures that Hochschild researches, and this is confirmed as fact when he mentions the ways in which he had to scour countless libraries for books that had not been checked out in decades, in order to find specific letters. The research for this book is such a labor of love, and this comes through loud and clear in how painstakingly detailed each storyline is. From David Livingstone to King Leopold himself, the author allows for an almost conversational tone with which he writes their stories, resulting in a nonfiction historical book that is compulsively readable.
In addition, the storyline this book is so refreshing in that it never shies away from how the atrocities committed against the Congo are all at the hands of extractive colonization. To that end, Hochschild takes the argument further, analyzing why it was so popular to critique the subjugation of the Congolese while the countries performing the critiques were also committing violent atrocities against people in the Global South (namely highlighting the colonization of the Philippines at the hands of the United States government). My one and only small critique (and one that is a little selfish) is how I felt that the more recent events of Congo history felt very much breezed over, as I would’ve greatly enjoyed Hochschild’s perspective on the more recent uprisings and coups within Congo. All in all, an excellent historical nonfiction, and definitely one of my favorites highlighting the ways in which the Congo has, and continues, to suffer under the brute forces of the Global North.
dark
emotional
informative
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had been a long time since I'd read some truly engaging nonfiction, so this book was an extremely refreshing read.
This book read more like an exciting fiction story than a nonfiction account of what actually occurred. Not only did the writing make the story seem that way, but some of the facts were so appalling that it was difficult to comprehend that this was a true story.
The writing in this book was really nice. The author writes in a style that is easy to read and understand. The writing is academic, without being overpowering, which allows this book to be read by a wide variety of audiences. The author also obviously did a lot of research into the topic. It's obvious while reading that the author truly knows (as much as possible) what occurred during that time period.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I found it to be a refreshing (and shocking) nonfiction read. Definitely a must-read for those interested in African and European/American history.
This book read more like an exciting fiction story than a nonfiction account of what actually occurred. Not only did the writing make the story seem that way, but some of the facts were so appalling that it was difficult to comprehend that this was a true story.
The writing in this book was really nice. The author writes in a style that is easy to read and understand. The writing is academic, without being overpowering, which allows this book to be read by a wide variety of audiences. The author also obviously did a lot of research into the topic. It's obvious while reading that the author truly knows (as much as possible) what occurred during that time period.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I found it to be a refreshing (and shocking) nonfiction read. Definitely a must-read for those interested in African and European/American history.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
An excellently paced story of one of the most depressing episodes in history, but one that manages to find the light in it. Excellent pop history.
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
dark
informative
medium-paced
While I understand the massive value this book has held in the pantheon of historical works by (mostly) white writers depicting the colonial and neo-colonial rule of the European metropole on the African continent, it contains far too many of the author's personal biases and political opinions to be an effective take down of a system that is still very much replicated today. Examples include random asides which feel the need to discuss communism in the same breath as colonialism and fascism, the celebration of the reformist white characters even when their blind patriotism puts them squarely in the wrong, and, for some odd reason, a refusal to place the lion share of the current political situation in the Congo on colonial rule.
Hochschild mentions the lack of writing from African voices to fill out the stage of the Belgian Congo, and that is not squarely my problem with the novel. Rather, I am frustrated with how much the narrative does end up lending itself to the white savior narrative, especially this quote from the book which drove me livid: "Most of the Africans who fought this battle in the Congo perished, their very names unrecorded. In a sense, we honor Morel and Casement in their stead." Execuse me? This is the kind of ridicolous statement that belies the deep rooted ideological viewpoint of the project. Not to mention in the afterword where he paternalistically mentions Ireland and South Korea as examples of formerly colonized or subjugated territory which have now become successful beacons of progress, conveniently forgetting or not knowing the massive amount of help these countries have received, both publicly (or primarily in South Korea's case) clandestinely.
This book is an easy and enjoyable read and in some ways I fear that makes it a bit dangerous. Non-fiction does not need to be character driven to be enjoyable and I find that it is often to a works detriment when it is. It provides too large an oppurtunity for writers to project their own viewpoints on a time period and risks crowding out the facts with larger than life figures. I think part of the reason this book has been so well regarded is the attrocities of the Congo are too large to cause the book to fall into this camp, but oh boy does Hochschild try.
Hochschild mentions the lack of writing from African voices to fill out the stage of the Belgian Congo, and that is not squarely my problem with the novel. Rather, I am frustrated with how much the narrative does end up lending itself to the white savior narrative, especially this quote from the book which drove me livid: "Most of the Africans who fought this battle in the Congo perished, their very names unrecorded. In a sense, we honor Morel and Casement in their stead." Execuse me? This is the kind of ridicolous statement that belies the deep rooted ideological viewpoint of the project. Not to mention in the afterword where he paternalistically mentions Ireland and South Korea as examples of formerly colonized or subjugated territory which have now become successful beacons of progress, conveniently forgetting or not knowing the massive amount of help these countries have received, both publicly (or primarily in South Korea's case) clandestinely.
This book is an easy and enjoyable read and in some ways I fear that makes it a bit dangerous. Non-fiction does not need to be character driven to be enjoyable and I find that it is often to a works detriment when it is. It provides too large an oppurtunity for writers to project their own viewpoints on a time period and risks crowding out the facts with larger than life figures. I think part of the reason this book has been so well regarded is the attrocities of the Congo are too large to cause the book to fall into this camp, but oh boy does Hochschild try.