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Laura Noggle's Reviews > King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa
King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa
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You think you know, but you actually don’t.
This book is the most compelling history on colonial Africa I’ve ever read. It’s on par with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
“Furthermore, unlike many other great predators of history, from Genghis Khan to the Spanish conquistadors, King Leopold II never saw a drop of blood spilled in anger. He never set foot in the Congo. There is something very modern about that, too, as there is about the bomber pilot in the stratosphere, above the clouds, who never hears screams or sees shattered homes or torn flesh.”
“And yet the world we live in—its divisions and conflicts, its widening gap between rich and poor, its seemingly inexplicable outbursts of violence—is shaped far less by what we celebrate and mythologize than by the painful events we try to forget. Leopold's Congo is but one of those silences of history.”
This book is the most compelling history on colonial Africa I’ve ever read. It’s on par with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
“Furthermore, unlike many other great predators of history, from Genghis Khan to the Spanish conquistadors, King Leopold II never saw a drop of blood spilled in anger. He never set foot in the Congo. There is something very modern about that, too, as there is about the bomber pilot in the stratosphere, above the clouds, who never hears screams or sees shattered homes or torn flesh.”
“And yet the world we live in—its divisions and conflicts, its widening gap between rich and poor, its seemingly inexplicable outbursts of violence—is shaped far less by what we celebrate and mythologize than by the painful events we try to forget. Leopold's Congo is but one of those silences of history.”
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Reading Progress
November 19, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 19, 2018
– Shelved
January 21, 2020
–
Started Reading
January 30, 2020
– Shelved as:
nonfiction
January 30, 2020
– Shelved as:
history
January 30, 2020
– Shelved as:
2020
January 30, 2020
–
Finished Reading
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Jill
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rated it 5 stars
Jan 30, 2020 09:19AM
Your review says it all Laura. I always thought of King Leopold as the benevolent ruler of lovely little Belgium.......so I thought I knew but I didn't actually know at all.
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This is one of those "must read" books!
Great book- like every other book by Hochschild that I have read.
Jill wrote: "Your review says it all Laura. I always thought of King Leopold as the benevolent ruler of lovely little Belgium.......so I thought I knew but I didn't actually know at all."It was a difficult read, but very eye opening.
David wrote: "This is one of those "must read" books!"I completely agree!
Colleen wrote: "Great book- like every other book by Hochschild that I have read."Do you recommend any of his others? This was my first one.
If you are interested in a contemporary effort to expose what was happening in the Congo-Henry De Vere Stacpoole, best known for the story Blue Lagoon that became the movies (at least 2) of the same name wrote a longish short story:The Pools of Silence.
Do not let the first half fool you.
Stackpoole may not have been a great author, but he is a heck of a story teller. Please stay for the full performance.
Phrodrick wrote: "If you are interested in a contemporary effort to expose what was happening in the Congo-Henry De Vere Stacpoole, best known for the story Blue Lagoon that became the movies (at least 2) of the ..."
Officially intrigued! And it's $0.99 on Kindle! Thanks for the tip!
