Peter Forbath, who was Time magazine’s correspondent in Africa, presents a gripping account of the history of the River Congo, one of the most convulsive areas in the world and one that has exerted most fascination upon the imagination of the West.
With a powerfully cinematographic narrative force, the author reveals the encounter between two antagonistic worlds. Geography and history go hand in hand in this story which features personalities such as Stanley, Livingstone, Roger Casement, Mobuto, Joseph Conrad and the inquisitorial figure of King Leopold. After reading the book, any shadow of doubt about its sweeping title is dispelled: the Congo is the world’s most dramatic river.