Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa by Jason K. Stearns.
Probably the best account I've read on the Great War that's raged in the Congo, on and off, since 1996 and taken millions of lives. Stearns spent a decade there, personally knew many of the key perpetrators of the carnage. The Congo's unfamiliar and confusing to most Westerners, I think, (I'm no exception) but Stearns has managed to make sense of the madness. He explains the political and social forces behind the conflict, the relationships between the Congo and its neighboring states, and the people involved, villagers, child-soldiers, warlords, military figures, corrupt politicians, Rwandan intelligence officers and the 20 rival rebel factions that have been battling each other. Superbly researched. I'd recommend this book as essential to any student of affairs in Africa. Terrific read.
Probably the best account I've read on the Great War that's raged in the Congo, on and off, since 1996 and taken millions of lives. Stearns spent a decade there, personally knew many of the key perpetrators of the carnage. The Congo's unfamiliar and confusing to most Westerners, I think, (I'm no exception) but Stearns has managed to make sense of the madness. He explains the political and social forces behind the conflict, the relationships between the Congo and its neighboring states, and the people involved, villagers, child-soldiers, warlords, military figures, corrupt politicians, Rwandan intelligence officers and the 20 rival rebel factions that have been battling each other. Superbly researched. I'd recommend this book as essential to any student of affairs in Africa. Terrific read.
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