BLOOD RIVER A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart

British journalist Butcher reads his own account of his attempt to retrace H.M. Stanley's 1876 trip down Africa's Congo River. If anything, the trip is more dangerous now. Natural hazards pale in comparison to roaming quasi-military groups specializing in dismemberment and murder. Butcher's voice is pleasing, his diction is clear, and he has the advantage of having lived this ordeal. Only his pace is off—it’s too rapid, a common mistake by less experienced narrators. One gets used to it, but one’s ears and mind are always playing catch-up. Butcher's dismay at aborting the end of the journey is obvious, but his sympathy for the Congo's people, who've been exploited by foreign powers and their own leaders, would come through even better at a slower speed. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2008]