Blood River

By: Tim Butcher

Narrated by: Tim Butcher

When Daily Telegraph correspondent Tim Butcher was sent to cover Africa in 2000, he quickly became obsessed with the idea of recreating H. M. Stanley's famous expedition - and travelling alone. 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 vessels including a motorbike and a dugout canoe, and helped along by a cast of characters from UN aid workers to a campaigning pygmy, he followed in the footsteps of the great Victorian adventurers. Butcher's journey was a remarkable feat, but the story of the Congo, is more remarkable still.

©2007 Tim Butcher (P)2008 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

A Richard and Judy Book Club selection.

Depressing but wildly interesting!

Author mixes his own story with historical tidbits, side stories, and narrative and weaves it together in an entertaining manner, even if the story itself is one of plunder, death and disaster.

Bloody River and Country

This was an interesting account of a British journalist's trip to travel a previous expedition a century before. It was indeed a terrifying journey and many friends, colleagues and contacts did not believe it possible. While the journey through Africa was frought with danger, what makes the book most fascinating is the history described and the author's insights into the people and places he visited. Filled with armed rebels, death and despair, there is not much to be hopeful for in the Congo during this period. He did find a number of wonderful people who aided him along the way. The saddest part of the book was when the author had to turn down a request to take a four year old because his father wanted a better life for him. I read this book using immersion reading while listening to the audiobook, which was read by the author in a beautiful Queen's English accent.

Brutally honest depiction of dark side of Moon;

Author speaks eloquently with much understanding and heart. Unimaginable travails are distilled with fluid skill.

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.

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.