This is a story about a great adventure

First I need to set the record straight on something - this is a work of non-fiction, it chronicles the journalists adventures as he tries to retrace the steps of the lengendary and shadowy Stanley expedition. It is amazing that this man survived to tell this important story, the condition that this country has fallen to is amazing and a warning to all who read this book. I cannot do justice to this tale in a few paragraphs, but woven inside the adventure of his travels is a history lesson about the Congo and the Stanley expedition that is very well done. This is a book that when finished will leave the reader more informed on many fronts.
Put this one in the cart it is well worth your time.

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Leave narration to professionals!

A great chronicle of an astonishing journey that every single person told Butcher was "impossible". The most impressive point to me is his emphasis on how much the country has regressed since independence - he passes through deserted areas where colonial maps show thriving towns. Most everything in place in 1960 is now ruined, if still there. Diseases, which the Belgians had largely controlled, are back. An interesting take on colonialism comes from a disgusted Malaysian aid worker who snorts (paraphrased): "We had a colonial past, and got over it!"

Recommended, although Butcher's narration at a gazillion words per minute got tiring often. There were times I wanted to stop listening, and had to wait a while for a pause to do so, rather than stop in mid-torrent.

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Inspiration

Butcher really inspired me in his story about Congo river and its people. As a son of Congo this really put a lot in perspective for me and motivates me to want to do more for humanity and suffering people of Congo who don't even ask for more than a safe place for them to live their lives.

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Even better the second time around.

I read this book about a year ago and I was so impressed by it that I recommended it to my book group for this months book. As a refresher I got the audio book through Audible. It was great the second time around and Tim Butcher does a wonderful job of narration. I have also read and recommend Tim Butcher's other books.

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priceless insights

in today's globalized world everything seems to be rather close. And yet, some places are so far, almost in a parallel reality. Excellent, though a very sad story..

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Wish I were brave enough to attempt this!

What did you love best about Blood River?

Adventure-travel writing at it's most enjoyable. It's a treat to hear author Tim Butcher narrate his own story, in simple, unpretentious, thought out prose. As if you were right there in the congo traveling with him. He does a fantastic job providing historical context and his own take on things. Only criticism is that I would have liked more vivid description of jungle fauna and flora.

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An interesting presentation of a sad history

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a fairly interesting presentation of history & geography along the Congo river for anyone wanting to learn more about West Africa, or colonialism-fallout.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, the author's excellent portrayal of *un*development in action... the strange and hard to believe idea that someone's grandparents had reasonably contemporary educations, hospitals, motorized vehicles, etc., but that are missing today. It's like Atlantis existed, and then poof... back to throwing rocks at each other.

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Impossible to listen to!!

What did you love best about Blood River?

Darn--I really really wanted to read this book. But the narrator talks so fast, its like some sort of joke! How could the company have released this book like this? I tried putting the ipod on that 1/2 speed setting but that just makes it echo and get garbled. Its probably worth a read by reading the hard copy book. You would have to concentrate very hard to understand what's being said in this book! Maybe you have to be British?

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helped me understand Congo

Any additional comments?

Wow. tough book. It really helped me understand Congo, a tragic country. The protagonist could leave when the trip was over, so many millions there cannot.

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I agree: Impossible to listen to!

Ordinarily I prefer books narrated by the author, but this one is awful. Butcher's story is fascinating, but he reads so fast that I get a headache in minutes trying to keep up. Usually I listen to audiobooks in the car, but I think I'd probably have a wreck trying to follow this one. If Audiobooks took returns I'd be returning this one for sure.

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