The Belgian Congo, as Zaire and now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was formerly called was the creation of King Leopold of Belgium who desperately wanted a colony. By the late 19th century there was little land left to conquer except in Africa, and it had become obvious that conquering independent lands was neither wise nor practical. King Leopold II, King of the Belgians, was a man with a huge appetite for both land and food: he once ate two whole pheasants in a restaurant in Paris, and it was not unusual for him to order several appetizers. His colony was 75 times larger than Belgium. Stanley's explorations in Africa were becoming well known and sensational, and Leopold carefully persuaded him into a deal: Stanley wisely asked for his payment in advance – which would lead to Stanley leading an expedition to build a road. in the heart of Africa. He had learned an important lesson during his search for Livingston: there was little military threat from the local inhabitants who were small in population, comprising more than 200 ethnic groups speaking more than 400 languages, making a joint effort against the white man. it was more than a little fake. In addition to sponsoring Stanley's expedition, he paid for many others who were attempting to reach the interior from the east. He also used several front organizations in an attempt to hide his financial interests. Stanley himself was unaware that one of the "committees" had expired more than a year earlier and was being used by the king in name only. The cost of maintaining expeditions and building infrastructure to bring the immense wealth of natural resources out of the Congo soon ran out. much of Leopold's fortune, so he managed to ob...... middle of paper ...... create an unpleasant reality existing on the other side of the world. I thought it was a very moving and powerful book that sheds light on colonialism. Hochschild writes very well; at no point is the book boring nor does it read like a list. Even Hochschild is even in the lead. He doesn't hide anything: Nice guys have flaws and he mentions them. Hochschild makes the reader reflect on how the West views Africa not only during the colonial period but also today. It is a book that everyone in Europe and the United States should read. What I really liked is the fact that Hochschild doesn't just focus on Leopold but also on the reactions to Leopold. Hochschild shows us what Europeans, Americans, and Africans did to fight Leopold. I enjoyed bringing previously little-known heroes like Sheppard to light. I will never look at Stanley and Livingston's story the same way again.