Congo: The Epic History of a People

Klappentext:

The gripping saga of one of the world's most devastated countries

The Democratic Republic of Congo currently ranks among the world's most failed nation-states, second only to war-torn Somalia. David Van Reybrouck's Congo: The Epic History of a People traces the history of this devastated nation from the beginnings of the slave trade through the arrival of Sir Henry Morton Stanley, the ivory and rubber booms, colonization, the struggle for independence, and the three decades of Mobutu's brutal rule. Van Reybrouck also examines the civil war--the world's deadliest conflict since the Second World War. Still raging today after seventeen years, the Congolese war is driven, in part, by the demand for the rare-earth minerals required to make cell phones.

Van Reybrouck has balanced hundreds of interviews with meticulous historical research to construct a many-dimensional portrait of the rich and convoluted history of Congo. Taking pains to seek out the Congolese perspective on the country's history, Van Reybrouck creates a panoramic canvas wherein the child soldiers whom he encounters in the eastern rebel territories talk candidly about their choices and misfortunes, and where elderly Congolese--some of them more than one hundred years old--reminisce about their lives in a country where the average life expectancy has dropped to forty-five.

Vast in scope yet eminently readable, both penetrating and deeply moving, Congo does for Africa what Robert Hughes's masterful and novelistic The Fatal Shore did for Australia. Van Reybrouck takes a deeply humane approach to political history, focusing squarely on the Congolese perspective and returning a nation's history to its people. Published to rave reviews in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2010, Congo has now been gracefully translated by the exceptional Sam Garrett, most recently the translator of Herman Koch's bestselling The Dinner.

Críticas:

.".. a compelling mixture of literary and oral history that delivers an authentic story of how European colonialism, African resistance, and the endless exploitation of natural resources affected the lives of the Congolese."--Booklist

"a monumental history . . . more exciting than any novel."--NRC Handelsblad

"An unbelievable tour de force."--Humo

"An absolute masterpiece!"--VPRO Radio

"Breathtaking."--Trouw

"If you are looking to read one book on Congo this year, this is it. David Van Reybrouck combines deep historical investigation with extensive ethnography. The result is an illuminating narrative."--Mahmood Mamdani, Director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research and author of Good Muslim, Bad Muslim

"A well-documented and passionate narrative which reads like a novel. [..] As an eye, a judge, and a witness, a talented writer testifies."--V.Y.M. Mudimbe, author of The Invention of Africa

"Congo is a remarkable piece of work. Van Reybrouck [keeps] a panoramic history of a vast and complex nation accessible, intimate and particular."--Michela Wrong, author of In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz

"Van Reybrouck's extensive account reveals the depth and breadth of exploitation, particularly under Belgian colonial rule, and how Congo's story is one fraught with the toxic cycle of 'desire, frustration, revenge.'"--Publishers Weekly

"A vivid panorama of one of the most tormented lands in the world... A valuable addition to the rich literature that Congo has inspired."--Washington Post

"[A] detailed and well-researched biography, thoroughly rooted in the lived experience of the Congolese... It is clear that the author is not your typical historian dryly publishing his findings, but a literary artist with a pen almost as sharp as Lumumba's tongue."--ThinkAfricaPress.com

"This is a magnificent account, intimately researched, and relevant for anyone interested in how the recent past may inform our near future... Van Reybrouck's bibliography alone is worth the cover price. But what distinguishes the book is its clearheadedness."--New York Times Book Review

"Van Reybrouck's carefully researched and elegantly written book takes in the reader with compelling portraits of ordinary people that enrich what would otherwise be a fairly conventional historical narrative."--Foreign Affairs

"A magnificent, epic look at the history of the region... A monumental contribution to the annals of Congo scholarship."--The Christian Science Monitor

"Van Reybrouck makes a good case for the importance of Congo to world history and its ongoing centrality in a time of resurgent economic colonialism, this time on the part of China.--Kirkus Reviews

..". a compelling mixture of literary and oral history that delivers an authentic story of how European colonialism, African resistance, and the endless exploitation of natural resources affected the lives of the Congolese."--Booklist

"Van Reybrouck tells his story . . . through numerous astute and intelligent voices of the Congo citizens and storytellers. . . . [Van Reybrouck] is not just an historian but a significant ethnographer who deeply cares about the people whose history he is narrating."--Rain Taxi

"Balancing research with personal testimonies, Van Reybrouck . . . presents a panoramic account of Congo's turbulent past."--New York Times Book Review: Paperback Row

This is a magnificent account, intimately researched, and relevant for anyone interested in how the recent past may inform our near future Van Reybrouck s bibliography alone is worth the cover price. But what distinguishes the book is its clearheadedness. --New York Times Book Review"

Balancing research with personal testimonies, Van Reybrouck . . . presents a panoramic account of Congo s turbulent past. --New York Times Book Review: Paperback Row"

A vivid panorama of one of the most tormented lands in the world A valuable addition to the rich literature that Congo has inspired. --Washington Post"

Van Reybrouck s carefully researched and elegantly written book takes in the reader with compelling portraits of ordinary people that enrich what would otherwise be a fairly conventional historical narrative. --Foreign Affairs"

A magnificent, epic look at the history of the region A monumental contribution to the annals of Congo scholarship. --The Christian Science Monitor"

[A] detailed and well-researched biography, thoroughly rooted in the lived experience of the Congolese It is clear that the author is not your typical historian dryly publishing his findings, but a literary artist with a pen almost as sharp as Lumumba s tongue. --ThinkAfricaPress.com"

... a compelling mixture of literary and oral history that delivers an authentic story of how European colonialism, African resistance, and the endless exploitation of natural resources affected the lives of the Congolese. --Booklist"

Van Reybrouck s extensive account reveals the depth and breadth of exploitation, particularly under Belgian colonial rule, and how Congo s story is one fraught with the toxic cycle of desire, frustration, revenge. --Publishers Weekly"

Van Reybrouck makes a good case for the importance of Congo to world history and its ongoing centrality in a time of resurgent economic colonialism, this time on the part of China.--Kirkus Reviews"

a monumental history . . . more exciting than any novel. --NRC Handelsblad"

An unbelievable tour de force. --Humo"

An absolute masterpiece! --VPRO Radio"

Breathtaking. --Trouw"

Van Reybrouck tells his story . . . through numerous astute and intelligent voices of the Congo citizens and storytellers. . . . [Van Reybrouck] is not just an historian but a significant ethnographer who deeply cares about the people whose history he is narrating. --Rain Taxi"

If you are looking to read one book on Congo this year, this is it. David Van Reybrouck combines deep historical investigation with extensive ethnography. The result is an illuminating narrative. --Mahmood Mamdani, Director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research and author of Good Muslim, Bad Muslim"

A well-documented and passionate narrative which reads like a novel. [..] As an eye, a judge, and a witness, a talented writer testifies. --V.Y.M. Mudimbe, author of The Invention of Africa"

Congo is a remarkable piece of work. Van Reybrouck [keeps] a panoramic history of a vast and complex nation accessible, intimate and particular. --Michela Wrong, author of In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz"

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