Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of King Leopold's Ghost

King Leopold's Ghost
King Leopold's Ghost
Author: Adam Hochschild
Genre: History
Book Type: Paperback
eclector avatar reviewed on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4


I recommend this book highly, it is an education, though a painful and difficult one. The words "Colonial Africa" and "Belgian Congo" will never be taken lightly after reading this book. Africa belonged to the Africans and did not need colonizing and the Congo was occupied and subdued by King Leopold's minions through acts of murder, kidnapping, extortion, and forced labor.

The colonial "heroes" who "conquered" Africa all leave a bad taste in the mouth. They suffer from greed, ignorance, intolerance and or brutally. There is nothing heroic about them, they are shameful. The effects of King Leopold's brutal rule of the Congo still reverberate throughout Africa.

The author's research is thorough, meticulous, and all points are thoughtful and well documented. It's a great book about a sad part of history.