King Leopold's Ghost

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable If Flawed Title
Review: The regime of King Leopold of Belgium must have been difficult. To be a king in a parlimentary democracy is simply nt fair. Given the oppurtunity to rule the Congo is unbeatable. King Leopold's Ghost explains what happened when he took that opptunity. It is a tale of both attrocities and Greed. Most importantly it is a tale of how international relations got a conscience. Through the work of missionaries and most especially E.D. Morel, King Leopold was forced to relinquish his personnel ownership. The sad truth is that despite the change in owners, the policies continued until the present. That is the real horror...the work remained unfinished. The lesson is a sobering one with the United States peacekeeping in Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor. Will the US declare victory and allow the issues to fade? The book was excellent and any student of international relations should read if only for the warnings about the limitations of the press and NGOs.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I am pleased that a book about a almost forgotten atrocity has rrecieved so much attention. The book is a eye opener and the Author avoids snowing the reader with acres of discriptions of atrocities. In fact the book is mainly about the establishment of the "Congo Free State" and the fight against King Leopold's rule. I myself have read a fair bit about, (what little there is), this horror. I am pleased that this book is available but it is not a "Scholarly" text it is more of a Introduction. Certainly considering that the king still has defenders this book is necessary. Very thoughtfully the author writes at lenghth about Jules Marchal, the author of a 4 volume history of King Leopold and the Congo. Unfortunatly it is only available in French. Those volumes provide the Scholarly underpining for inditing King Leopold. The book does have certain scholarly features like footnotes and a extensive bibliography but over all it is "popular history" with "novelistic" touches which may result in some people not taking it seriously.

The author also makes comparison with both German and French Colonialism. Specifically the brutal French rule of Equitorial Africa and the German rule of Namibia. Were massive atrocities also took place. The British + American's also get a dishonerable mention. I can recomend the book "Exterminate the Brutes" for the connection between the early conquest + exploitation of Africa and this centuries episodes of mass murder.

This book should be taken has a starting point in the investigation not the end.

Rating:
Summary: History is not always written by the victors.
Review: Books dealing with a broad topic such as colonialism are difficult to get right. Hochschild comes close. By concentrating on one man, King Leopold, he puts a face on the driving force of evil greed that was the Belgian Congo policy. He was right to point out that Leopolds deeds were sadly not unique. While reading the book it was easy to be lulled into a feeling of "Oh long ago those Belgians were bad to the Africans." Thankfully the author recounts the recent policy of the USA in dealing with the kleptocrat Mobutu and one realises to parphrase the late Congressman Bono "...and the beat goes on... "

Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking and passionate, yet balanced.
Review: In Black Reconstruction, W.E.B. DuBois wrote, "We shall never have a science of history until we have in our colleges men who regard the truth as more important than the defense of the white race, and who will not deliberately encourage students to gather thesis material in order to support a prejudice or buttress a lie."

I liked this book a lot. First of all, I was deeply touched by the history I learned. Second, I greatly appreciated reading a compellingly written story. And finally, I was honored to be introduced to such a courageous author. I have to believe that DuBois would have liked this work and this man a lot.

I never had any interest before, but now I want to go to Belgium so I can see for myself exactly how much wealth and comfort all those unknown and wasted African lives have made possible there. I have to believe that God is going to use this book to stir the hearts of the Belgian people. I pray that they will undertake a kind of truth and reconciliation process to expunge their national canvas of the historical bloodstains that Adam Hochschild has now brought to our global attention.

Rating:
Summary: A truly excellent work!
Review: This book exposes the truth behind Belgium's colonization of the Congo. The author writes incisively and with great passion on this topic. Usually history works are not page-turners, but this one was.

Rating:
Summary: A real eye-opener. Very humbling.
Review: I must admit to my shame that although I had previously considered myself to be fairly historically knowledgable (for a layman), I was stunned by Hochschild's book. Never had I heard about the scale of the murder and the grotesque features of Leopold's oppression in the Congo "Free State." I had heard mention of the rubber terror by History profs in college, but this book flattened me in a way few nonfiction works have. It also showed me that foreign manipulation of our government is nothing new--Leopold's use of lobbyists to influence U.S. Congo policy was a classical political snow job. A valuable, and very nonspecialist-friendly, contribution to my still insufficient but improving understanding of African History.

Rating:
Summary: A Record Of The Crimes, Misfortunes, And Follies Of Mankind
Review: An excellent popular account of a relatively unknown period of world history.

Even though I've traveled extensively through the area once known as the Belgian Congo, the region's bloody past was confined in my readings to footnotes or short, dry paragraphs - in somewhat the same way that other recent books' ("The Rape Of Nanking," and "Man is Wolf to Man: Surviving the Gulag") subjects were known to me only in passing.

Thanks to the author for writing such a clear, concise, readable book on a dark, complex and tragic past that is not past at all.

I welcome a French language translation.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding research, brilliantly written history.
Review: The author addresses with clarity and exemplary research the poisonous side of European colonialism in Africa, but stresses as well the attempts of many, including several African-Americans, to bring the situation to public attention and to redress. This forgotten bit of history should be far more widely known, as it equals the infamy of other genocidal events of this bloody century. Despite the ugliness of the story, the author manages to engage the reader throughout. Brilliantly written.

Rating:
Summary: If you only read one book on the Belgian Congo...
Review: If you only read one book on the Belgian Congo, it might as well be this one. If, on the other hand, you are well trained in the study of history, then I suggest you supplement your reading list.

Hochschild's book is not a bad effort but it is clear that scholarly publishing is a new arena for this doubtlessly talented writer. The author is apparently unfamiliar with footnotes. He is given to making statements like "Leopold thought to himself," and trying to explain what certain emotion a character might have been feeling. All of that makes for fun reading but it is far from historical. At times, the author allows himself to sound propagandistic, even ideological.

But, giving credit where it is due, Hochschild does make a strong presentation of the many intricate levels of diplomacy that went into King Leopold II's enormous land grab. He also draws on diverse sources to paint a well rounded picture of Belgian activities. The events of this period are not known to most and hence this book is a good starting off point for a novice.

If you are not a novice, or an amateur history buff, than this book might be a bit painful. Hochschild continually makes unfair comparisons between the late Victorian era Belgians and the Nazis as a cheap rhetorical tool. He makes countless, unnecessary references to Joseph Conrad's Congo novella. The author also jumps around in his subject matter in the manner of a novelist.

Overall, I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars were it possible. I would suggest this work to anyone who is just beginning to explore the richness of African history. It is not for the scholarly crowd who will cringe at at the author's unconventional style. But, since there aren't too many of them out there, that will not be an issue for most readers. So, if you DO NOT have a PhD in African history, I firmly suggest you read this book.

--Patrick Klocek

Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Analysis of a Complicated Colonial Legacy
Review: I read this great book on the advice of a friend, and it opened up a scary, complicated and inspiring history of colonial-era Central Africa that I had never before appreciated. Hochschild writes in a very engaging style, alternating between well-researched accounts of ivory/rubber extraction in the congo and biographical profiles of individuals who figure prominently in these accounts. I read through the book's 350+ pages in about 2 1/2 days! I would have liked to have read more about the CONSUMPTION of ivory and rubber during the book's period of focus (1860's-1910's), so as to compliment the author's tremendous work exploring the extraction of these commodities in the Congo. Also, some overview of rubber manufacturing, and other aspects of this commodity (marketing, etc.) would also have lent me a broader understanding of ivory and rubber commodities. Nonetheless, the author states openly at the book's outset that he is focusing upon Leopold and his 'Congo Free State,' and he covers this subject admirably. A great read, a great recommendation.