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Congo David van Reybrouck

Congo By David van Reybrouck

Congo by David van Reybrouck


£12.69
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Summary

FINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL PRIZE FOR HISTORY

'Not only deserves the description epic, in its true sense, but the term masterpiece as well' Independent

Congo Summary

Congo by David van Reybrouck

FINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL PRIZE FOR HISTORY

'Not only deserves the description epic, in its true sense, but the term masterpiece as well' Independent

This gripping epic tells the story of one of the world's most critical failed nation-states: the Democratic Republic of Congo. Interweaving his own family's history with the voices of a diverse range of individuals - charismatic dictators, feuding warlords, child soldiers, and many in the African diaspora of Europe and China - Van Reybrouck offers a deeply humane approach to political history, focusing squarely on the Congolese perspective and returning a nation's history to its people.

Congo Reviews

'The research, the devotion, the inventiveness in Van Reybrouck's writing are a gift to everyone, not just fans of African history. This book not only deserves the description epic, in its true sense, but the term masterpiece as well.' Independent

'A Big, fat, rich, readable tome ... The book is alive with stories, and Reybrouck's love of the nation and its people comes across strongly' Independent on Sunday

'Van Reybrouck brings this excessive history vividly to life ... He has not only read through the library he intends to replace, he has dug up new archival material and draws on living memories ... The result is a book as rich and resourceful as Congo itself.' Guardian

'A piece of luck for English-speaking readers. This is a magnificent account, intimately researched, and relevant for anyone interested in how the recent past may inform our near future ... Extraordinary.' New York Times

'A vivid panorama of one of the most tormented lands in the world ... Van Reybrouck covers all this in engrossing detail ... A valuable addition to the rich literature that Congo has inspired.' Washington Post

'The English-speaking world has been impatiently awaiting this translation. 'Congo' is a remarkable piece of work. Van Reybrouck pulls off the tricky feat of keeping a panoramic history of a vast and complex nation accessible, intimate and particular.' Michela Wrong, author of In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz

'A monumental history . . . more exciting than any novel' NRC Handelsblad

'[Van Reybrouck] has a beautiful feel for language ... His eye for the arresting human detail, combined with a wry appreciation for a peculiarly Congolese form of gumption, keeps you powering through this panoramic survey of 150 turbulent years ... Both intimate and immediate ... Fascinating' Spectator

'A masterful and gripping account ... makes you rethink the entire project of modernity' Yuval Noah Harari, Guardian Summer Reads

About David van Reybrouck

David Van Reybrouck is an award-winning author, acclaimed playwright, reporter, and poet who studied in Leuven and Cambridge and holds a doctorate from Leiden University. He has travelled extensively throughout Africa and has been actively involved in organizing literary workshops for Congolese playwrights in Kinshasa and Goma. He lives in Brussels.

Additional information

NGR9780007562930
9780007562930
0007562934
Congo by David van Reybrouck
New
Paperback
HarperCollins Publishers
2015-02-26
656
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a new book - be the first to read this copy. With untouched pages and a perfect binding, your brand new copy is ready to be opened for the first time

Customer Reviews - Congo