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Congo Stories

By: John Prendergast,Fidel Bafilemba,Ryan Gosling - photographer,Soraya Aziz Souleymane - foreword,Chouchou Namegabe,Dave Eggers - afterword,Sam Ilus - illustrator
Narrated by: John Prendergast,Channie Waites,Jerome Butler,Peter Ganim
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Summary

From the author of the New York Times bestselling and award-winning Not on Our Watch, John Prendergast co-writes a compelling book with Fidel Bafilemba—with stunning photographs by Ryan Gosling—revealing the way in which the people and resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been used throughout the last five centuries to build, develop, advance, and safeguard the United States and Europe. The book highlights the devastating price Congo has paid for that support. However, the way the world deals with Congo is finally changing, and the book tells the remarkable stories of those in Congo and the United States leading that transformation.

The people of Congo are fighting back against a tidal wave of international exploitation and governmental oppression to make things better for their nation, their neighborhoods, and their families. They are risking their lives to resist and alter the deadly status quo. And now, finally, there are human rights movements led by young people in the United States and Europe building solidarity with Congolese change-makers in support of dignity, justice, and equality for the Congolese people. As a result, the way the world deal with Congo is finally changing.

Fidel Bafilemba, Ryan Gosling, and John Prendergast traveled to Congo to document some of the stories not only of the Congolese upstanders who are building a better future for their country but also of young Congolese people overcoming enormous odds just to go to school and help take care of their families.

Through Gosling's photographs of Congolese daily life, Bafilemba's profiles of heroic Congolese activists, and Prendergast's narratives of the extraordinary history and evolving social movements that directly link Congo with the United States and Europe, Congo Stories provides windows into the history, the people, the challenges, the possibilities, and the movements that could change the course of Congo's destiny.

Chosen by Amazon as the Best Book of the Month for December 2018 in Biographies & Memoirs, History, and Nonfiction.

Featuring the life story of Dr. Denis Mukwege, winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 John Prendergast and Fidel Bafilemba (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Eye-opening reportage from an African nation that has been robbed and despoiled for centuries-but that is now finding paths of resistance...No thoughtful reader of this book will look at his or her computer or cellphone the same way again." (Kirkus)

"In this well-organized, vigorously informative, polyphonic, unnerving, and conscience-rousing presentation, [Prendergast] and researcher and activist Bafilemba trace 'the connection between natural resources exploitation and the violent conflicts' destroying the lives of millions in the Democratic Republic of Congo...A thoughtfully assembled resource and a clarion call for readers to seek out ethically sourced goods and support efforts to bring justice and peace to this cruelly pillaged land." (Booklist)

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A great eye-opener

This book recounts some individual Congolese people's experiences. Some are quite insightful into the true cost of the products we use daily.
It does inspire hope though and I would highly recommend it to anyone who would like to make a positive difference.

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Congo is not a country...

It is a business and this book attests to that sad truth. With testimonials from Congolese activists, CONGO STORIES is an authentic collection of the atrocities, hopes and realities of the lives of millions of human beings. John Pendergrast has produced a chef d'œuvre which coupled with David Van Reybrouck's CONGO and Adam Hochschild's KING LEOPOLD'S GHOST will tool the reader or listener with enough information to help and fight alongside their fellow human beings. Like the Sam Cooke's song said, a change is gonna come. It is coming soon for DR Congo.

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Inspiration, heart breaking and a call to action

Eye opening, inspirational, heart breaking. This audiobook does not try guilt you into action but tell the true history and provide with the knowledge to make the changes needed in this world.

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Absolutely awesome

Listen! Don't hesitate. Will buy for my friends, too. Fantastic how authors narrate very well-informed stories of hundreds of years of exploitation, give a voice and a stage to many Congolese, and conclude in a very hopeful and credible manner that gives perspective to everyone worldwide to help support peace and state building in Congo. Narration is great and I still remember powerful quotes from Lumumba's speech.

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