King Leopold's Ghost

In the 1880s, as European powers carved up Africa, King Leopold II of Belgium seized the Congo. He looted its rubber, brutalized its people, and reduced its population by ten million, all while cultivating a reputation as a humanitarian. Efforts to expose these crimes eventually sparked a human rights movement involving figures like Mark Twain and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The book details the story of those who fought against Leopold, including missionaries, travelers, and idealists, and features characters such as Edmund Morel, Roger Casement, George Washington Williams, William Sheppard, and Joseph Conrad. It is a compelling account of greed, cruelty, and courageous resistance.