A review by caitlintiffany
Congo: The Epic History of a People by David Van Reybrouck

4.0

Although this is fairly comprehensive and an easy and accessible read, take the information, especially the author's interpretations, with a grain of salt. He is Belgian and as much as he seems to want to be unbiased he has most certainly not escaped European paternalism. There are some blatantly racist views in this book and he often implies that the Congolese were better under Belgian rule and that it is ultimately the fault of the Congolese for their poverty. Although I often found this irritating and sometimes completely infuriating, I was able to learn a lot about the Congo without being a historian or academic. Just read with caution.