Drums Along the Congo: On the Trail of Mokele-Mbembe, the Last Living Dinosaur [Paperback]

Rory Nugent (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 1993

An American explorer and cryptozoologist chronicles his adventures on the Congo searching for the elusive Mokele-Mbembe, a dinosaur-like creature reported to live in the river.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Being more interested in chasing a dream than in the precise diameter of a footprint, I'm here to substantiate the obscure," says explorer Nugent, who takes us on an energizing, entertaining spin through the Congo in pursuit of a prehistoric creature purported to be still roaming the rain forest: the legendary dinosaur called Mokele-Mbembe, the God-Beast. Along the way, a witch doctor takes Nugent's money, strips him naked, covers him with a foul-smelling jellied substance and exorcises his devils. Nugent tangles with government bureaucrats to obtain necessary travel permits, he meditates on the African notion of river spirits and on animism, suffers from diarrhea and scorching heat, witnesses a celebration in honor of a girl's first menstruation, tries to coax music and magic out of a set of bongos, hunts and eats crocodiles (he finds that a roasted croc steak is tasty but very greasy), and is threatened by Pygmies with bows and arrows. From a distance, Nugent finally spots the God-Beast. But the natives are spooked and, by gunpoint, prevent him from getting closer; he only sees a vague image and, he relates, even the experts who examine his photographs later in New York aren't sure what Nugent has captured on film. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour. (June) Nugent's The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck , about his quest for a rare bird in India, is a June paperback reprint from Houghton Mifflin, $10.95 *
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Nugent, in his second travel tome, continues his quest for the unknown and unreachable. His Search for the Pink-Headed Duck (Houghton, 1991) took him deep into the wilds of the Himalayan kingdoms. In his latest travel adventure, Nugent takes his captivated readers to Lake Tele, deep in the heart of the Congo, in search of a dinosaur-like creature named Mokele-Mbembe, a legendary deity that exhibits all the frightening qualities of the Loch Ness Monster. The author, once again employing his sublime sense of humor and adventuresome sense of the outrageous, visits with local witch doctors and tribal chiefs while making his way through the Cretaceous-period jungle and the threatened rain forest. He provides us with a fascinating account of an almost unexplored and wild region.
- Melinda Stivers Leach, Wondervu, Col.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (June 28, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395670713
• ISBN-13: 978-0395670712
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,017,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Travel > Africa > Democratic Republic of Congo

More About the Author

Nugent is an American writer and explorer. His work takes inventory of the more neglected shelves in the communal warehouse, areas riddled with deep shadows due to stock, especially cultures and traditions, gone missing and about to go missing. He has published numerous newspaper and magazine stories, along with three books: THE SEARCH FOR THE PINK-HEADED DUCK (Houghton-Mifflin, 1991); DRUMS ALONG THE CONGO (Houghton-Mifflin, 1993); and DOWN AT THE DOCKS (Pantheon, 2009).

Nugent was born in New York. After graduating from Williams College(1975), he went to sea aboard freighters and sailboats. He made his bones, though, in 1976, the youngest American competitor in the Observer Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race. He went to make three more solo Atlantic crossings. His fifth attempt ended smack dab in the middle of the drink, shipwrecked by a rogue wave. He was rescued five days later and twenty-eight pounds lighter.

Not wanting to swim anymore, Nugent took to field research. He mounted one man expeditions in search of nature's numinous wonders before they were lost to map and mind and chainsaws and hydroelectric projects. His travels took him down great rivers, through the clouds (into the Himalayas), across deserts, and through jungles, and more.

In 1992, Nugent switched gears and became a full time journalist, his beat, the nightmare, his quest, those missing elements allowing it to prosper.For the next ten years, he tracked nitwit generals and their lousy wars in Europe, Asia and Africa.Along the way, he became intimate with the prophets of intolerance and bore witness to the insanity of killing fields the size of Texas.

His work for a wire service and especially, his long investigative pieces for magazines merited routine inclusion on short-lists for annual hack awards.

After finishing an assignment in Iran/Iraq in 2002, Nugent exited the gloom, refocused on America and gathered notes for his book, DOWN AT THE DOCKS. A new book is underway

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American hunts for a dinosaur, and you're right there., December 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: DRUMS ALONG THE CONGO CL (Hardcover)

A good read but an even better document to the pursuit of dreams (well, maybe not dreams, but dinosaurs) by an adventurer. I couldn't help but think of Indiana Jones, except with a lot of modern red tape and government bureaucracy. Just being able to go after the dinosaur is a miracle, and Nugent paints a great picture for me. So many modern "adventures" are media-hyped, corporate events that pass as "sports" but this guy goes into the dark of the Congo and no one seems to care except the people he has to bribe and barter with along the way. Definitely check this one out.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful and inspiring book., December 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: DRUMS ALONG THE CONGO CL (Hardcover)

A truly great book for anyone yearning for adventure! Nugent brings the wilds of the Congo into startling clarity. So vibrant are his descriptions, so compelling his pacing, that I couldn't put this book down for a moment once I began reading. I was so moved and inspired by Mr. Nugent's adventure looking for the Mokele-mbembe, that I spent a year searching for Bigfoot in the forests of the Pacific Northwest! Very few books have ever had such an impact on my life. I loved it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Next Best Thing to Being There!, May 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: DRUMS ALONG THE CONGO CL (Hardcover)

The author has an amazing account to tell and he does it with great skill -- drawing his reader into the world, not only of primeval jungle and native folklore, but of the vibrant social structure of African life, where a visitor's knowledge of American television shows becomes a better item for trade than a pocketful of gold. As I finished the last, breathtaking chapter (it took every ounce of willpower not to peek ahead to it), I was ready to quit my job, pack up my bags, and set sail to Congo to go looking for the legendary beast myself. What a great read