"History always seems to amaze me... "

After I finished reading King Leopold's Ghost I had to sit back in amazement of the things that occurred within in the horror of this novel. This particular novel was one of those stories that you read and really wished that they were just that, a story. According to the San Fransisco Chronicle Leopold's "heart of darkness" is an absorbing and horrifying account of the traffic in human misery that went on in Leopold's so-called Congo Free State, and of the efforts of a handful of heroic crusaders to bring the atrocities to light. Among other things, it stands as a reminder of how quickly enormities can be forgotten. I do not think that anyone could have said this any better.

The author Adam Hochschild does a great job at displaying tragedies within the book in such a way that it is one that I will honestly never forget them. He wrote the book with what I feel was pure passion which he used to get his point across in a manner that was moving and left readers shocked. Though what really makes the book, is not only the way the author wrote it, but the story itself. The story of what took place in the Congo during this time, is one of its own tales.

King Leopold II took greed for wealth and power to new extremes. He was the prime example of someone who let the idea of wealth and power turn them into what I would consider to be a monster. There are many accounts of people all throughout history who let money and greed control them, though this has to be one of the most horrific accounts ever.

Leopold II was a smart man, because spent the majority of his time in Belgium. He never even saw everything that was going on with his own eyes. He had made orders for such things to happen yet never got to see the horror first hand. I wonder if he would have had to actually stare what was going on in the face, if things still would have been the way that it was? Would he have allowed all of those innocent people go through those things?

Today yet there are still so many things going on within in the Congo, that still trace back to these events and other events that have happened with in the Congo. This video will hopefully add a little more insight in to the tragedies that have taken place and how it has left this country in shambles still today.

Since reading this book, I have what I call an eye opener. I have previously learned about traumatic tragedies that have taken place in other countries, but this surely takes the cake. This truly makes me wonder what other accounts of history am I missing out on? Or how many other situations that I have previously learned about were nothing more than sugar coated.?

All I know is that learning about history always seems to amaze me.