Een Geschiedenis: Congo:

The English version was translated by Sam Garrett and was highly praised by outlets like The Christian Science Monitor and NRC Handelsblad . Where to Buy

(English title: Congo: The Epic History of a People ) is a monumental non-fiction work by Belgian author David Van Reybrouck . Published in 2010, it is widely considered the definitive modern history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Core Themes and Approach Congo: een geschiedenis

Initial exploration and the arrival of Henry Morton Stanley. The English version was translated by Sam Garrett

It covers the region’s history from prehistory to 2010, with a major focus on the brutal 19th-century colonization by King Leopold II , the subsequent Belgian colonial era, the struggle for independence, and the turbulent rule of Mobutu Sese Seko . Core Themes and Approach Initial exploration and the

The "Congo Free State" under Leopold II, marked by the brutal ivory and rubber trades.

The long, kleptocratic reign of Mobutu Sese Seko.

The author interweaves his own family's history—his father worked as a railway engineer in the Congo shortly after independence—with the broader national narrative. Chapter Structure