Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart - Hardcover

Butcher, Tim

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802118771 ISBN 13: 9780802118776

Publisher: Grove Press, 2008

Synopsis

Published to rave reviews in the United Kingdom and named a Richard & Judy Book Club selection—the only work of nonfiction on the 2008 list—Blood River is the harrowing and audacious story of Tim Butcher's journey in the Congo and his retracing of renowned explorer H. M. Stanley's famous 1874 expedition in which he mapped the Congo River. When Daily Telegraph correspondent Tim Butcher was sent to Africa in 2000 he quickly became obsessed with the legendary Congo River and the idea of re-creating Stanley's legendary journey along the three-thousand-mile waterway. Despite warnings that his plan was suicidal, Butcher set out for the Congo's eastern border with just a rucksack and a few thousand dollars hidden in his boots. Making his way in an assortment of vehicles, including a motorbike and a dugout canoe, helped along by a cast of characters from UN aid workers to a pygmy-rights advocate, he followed in the footsteps of the great Victorian adventurers. An utterly absorbing narrative that chronicles Tim Butcher's forty-four-day journey along the Congo River, Blood River is an unforgettable story of exploration and survival.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"A masterpiece." - John Le Carré
"A remarkable, fascinating book by a courageous and perceptive writer. One of the most exciting books to emerge from Africa in recent years."-- Alexander McCall Smith, bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
"Tim Butcher deserves a medal for this crazy feat. I marvel as his courage and his empathy with the unfortunate Congolese when he re-enacted Stanley's appalling journey across the continent."--Thomas Pakenham, author of The Scramble for Africa
"An intrepid adventure . . . It takes a lot of guts to yomp through the Congo and he obviously has plenty of those. But it is the wit and passion of the writing which keeps you engrossed."--Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland
"Blood River represents a remarkable marriage of travelogue and history, which deserves to make Tim Butcher a star for his prose, as well as his courage." --Max Hastings, author of Armageddon: The Battle for Germany
"The day of the solitary intrepid traveler is not over. Tim Butcher's extraordinary, audacious journey through the Congo is worthy of the great 19th century explorers. Completely enthralling but also a thoughtful and sobering portrait of modern Africa." --William Boyd, author of Restless
"The Congo is one of the most dangerous and unpredictable countries on earth, and to have penetrated into the depths of its darkness and described it so fully is a great achievement. It even left me with ore of an affection for Stanley than I have ever felt before. As for Butcher, I have nothing but admiration for him." - John Simpson, author of Simpson's World: Dispatches from the Front Line

About the Author:

Tim Butcher has worked for the Daily Telegraph since 1990 as foreign affairs leader writer, defense correspondent and Africa Bureau Chief. He is currently living in Jerusalem where he is The Telegraph’s Middle East correspondent.

About this edition

• Publisher: Grove Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0802118771
• ISBN 13: 9780802118776
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384