Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 07, 2020 Jim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, true_adventure, memoir, mercenaries, travel, africa

By rights, the Congo should be a world power in its own right. The vast resources of minerals and timber should ensure an affluent lifestyle for every citizen in the country. Instead, the country is regressing instead of progressing. Armed gangs and militias roam the countryside, killing and looting. Dissident forces from neighbouring countries rob, rape, and kill as well. The Congo has been on a constant downhill slide since gaining independence in the sixties and is, at least at the time this By rights, the Congo should be a world power in its own right. The vast resources of minerals and timber should ensure an affluent lifestyle for every citizen in the country. Instead, the country is regressing instead of progressing. Armed gangs and militias roam the countryside, killing and looting. Dissident forces from neighbouring countries rob, rape, and kill as well. The Congo has been on a constant downhill slide since gaining independence in the sixties and is, at least at the time this book was written, a very dangerous place for citizens, never mind solitary white travellers. Tim Butcher decided to attempt to retrace Stanley's route through the Congo alone, something I would be hesitant to do with anything less than a platoon of troops. I have no doubt that he questioned his own sanity in the process; I know that I frequently found myself thinking "this guy is out of his friggin' mind!"

Mr. Butcher used different forms of transport to complete his journey through a country where public transport is now only a distant memory, a story told by great-grandpa and possibly not even believed by the listener. As the author points out, the whole country has a post-apocalyptic aura: nature has reclaimed what used to be a modern and thriving country. Buildings have collapsed, the jungle has reclaimed the railways, former highways are now overgrown trails. Fuel, when available, is often tainted and electricity is a rare treat. The trip begins on motorcycles, (100cc, barely larger than mopeds), continues by pirogue (as in "me gonna go pole me pirogue down the bayou"), and then switches over to motor boat, helicopter and jeep. In a country where you can't call ahead to make reservations, Tim had to lay his head where he could and, like Blanche, relied a lot on the kindness of strangers. During his travels he meets all manner of interesting characters; UN troops, aid workers, tribesmen breaking their backs trying to make a buck.

Tim has a great eye for detail and the reporter's tendency to record important information. He easily switches from enlightening the reader regarding the history of the Congo to describing the fascinating characters he meets on his journey. The sad part is that most of the Congolese are on the make, particularly those who are in positions of authority. Most try to take advantage of you in some way, some by begging, some by stealing, some by trying to ransom your own travel documents back to you. One even tried to get Tim to smuggle his child out of the Congo so that the infant would have a chance at a decent life.

While reading this book I couldn't help comparing the situation in the Congo with the comfort we enjoy in my own country. The main difference is the rule of law. I can't even imagine attempting to bribe a public official in this country - it would be a guaranteed ticket to the hoosegow. In Congo, nothing gets done without a bribe to an official. One can hardly blame them, as none of the wealth enjoyed by the few who run the country seems to trickle down to the man in the street. Having a job does not necessarily mean one will have a paycheck.

I've been interested in the goings-on in the Congo since the early seventies when I made the acquaintance of a couple of soldiers who had served in the Canadian contingent in the UN. I soaked up their stories and read whatever I could find on the topic, including Mike Hoare's book. Consequently, on 186, I was thrilled when Mr. Butcher discovered the remains of a rebel armoured car destroyed by Hoare's troops back in the sixties, almost completely lost to the jungle now but still sitting where Hoare's troops had blown it up. What a thrill it must have been to find that piece of machinery!

This was quite a trip for Mr. Butcher, a real ordeal, but difficult journeys make for interesting stories. I enjoyed every minute of it. To close, I'd like to say a word about the author. On page 224, he mentioned an account written by a Murray Taylor regarding a massacre by the Mulele Mai rebels in 1964. I wanted to learn more but couldn't find anything online. I found Tim's website and sent an inquiry, figuring that he was probably too busy a man to be troubled with a casual inquiry from a total stranger. To my surprise, within a couple of days I had a reply and a copy of the article from which he had gleaned the information. In my eyes a good writer and a gracious individual! ...more

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Mar 10, 2009 Andrea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: africa, travel

Butcher sets out to retrace Stanley's descent of the Congo River. While I had a few quibble early in the book about some of Butcher's claims that King Leopold's acquisition of Congo territory started the "scramble for Africa," the rest of the book is spectacular. Butcher's narrative is compelling, but also his history and social context are sensitive and clear. He alludes often to Stanley, but doesn't make the mistake of many "retracers" of getting too caught up in the "quest" to forget the real ...more

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Jun 29, 2008 Rebecca rated it liked it

Interesting story because I knew nothing about the Congo before I read it. He mentions the poisonwood bible a bunch of times which i read but now i cant remember it so i want to read it again.

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Jan 02, 2009 Susan rated it liked it

Author follows in Stanley's footsteps across Africa, specifically the Congo River. Informative facts from the history of Belgium rule over the DRC, but either his trip was somewhat safe and dull or he forgot to add interesting and colorful dialogue and events. ...more

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Feb 17, 2010 Laura rated it really liked it

I can name most of the countries (and their capitals) of Africa, but my knowledge ends there. Butcher's book was engaging, frightening, stressful, sad. There are no simple explanations, no easy solutions, but the world must pay attention to the African continent.

I definitely need to re-read The Poisonwood Bible , and I need to read Conrad's Heart of Darkness (finally). ...more

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