Customer Reviews

Facing the Congo

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Jeffrey Taylor's book Facing the Congo gives an insight into the former-Zaire, as well as a brief view of Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo. His book contributes immensely to an outsider's inside view of Zaire and how a leader by the name of Mobutu Sese Seko, along with western support, de-moralized and contributed to the present state-of-affairs in the newly renamed DRC. Jeffrey Tayler's cautious and realistic approach to the region does justice to the task that was at hand. Neither does Tayler make stereotypical assumptions, nor does he grossly inflate his story, he tells the situation as it was, and is.

For people who are interested in the Central Africa region, this book is highly recommended as a nice travelogue written by a mondele who sought to travel the River Congo and document his experiences. As someone who has traveled throughout this region, I can personally say that I have had similar experiences as Jeffrey Tayler has had.

For those who consider themselves 'travelogue-junkies,' this book will be a nice addition to your collection(s)and imagination(s). This book will give you plenty of sights, smells, and images to think about as you read the book, and to further think about after you put it down.

Thanks Mr. Tayler for putting your experience on paper!

Part travelogue, part memoir, Jeffrey Tayler's Facing The Congo takes the reader on a memorable and fascinating journey into sub-Saharan Africa's crocodile waters and lush jungles, lush jungles, and a spectacular variety of merchants, deckhands, prostitutes, mothers, spiritual followers, fishermen, children, and many other assorted charecters. From lively marketplace banter to cramped, mosquito infested sleeping spaces, Facing The Congo is the story of Tayler's trip up and down the legendary Congo River complete with fog covered backwaters, hostile tribes, and true-life high adventure. Facing The Congo is thoroughly satisfying, enthusiastically recommended reading for the armchair traveler.

This was an excellent book. It details the trials and tribulations of a mans journey down the navigable part of the Congo River before the fall of Zairean President Mobutu. Everything, from his experiences in the lively cities of Brazzaville, Kinshasa and Kisangani to awaiting the perils just around the curve of the river, make this an exciting read. This also gives some insight into Central African modern history and culture as well.

This is perhaps the best travel log I've ever read. It makes those in the western world appreciate more what they have compared to the desolation that wreaks havoc in this area of the world (in particular).

It is the journey of an American living in Moscow who wants to retrace Henry Stanley's trek down the Congo River in modern day Zaïre. It chronicles his planning; the trip to Brazzaville, Congo; the ferry to Kinsasha, Zaïre; the barge up to Kisangani; and the trek back town towards Kinsasha. It chronicles the folks he met (those who helped and those who hurt), personal fears and human tragedy.

There are even a few incidents of humor interjected (for those who have read the book: When Desi uses the toothpaste, the use of the shotgun, the TV show playing at the Kinsasha diner, among others).

It is, as Bill Bryson describes it, an "immensely gripping tale." I never found myself bored with it and was able to tackle its reading quite quickly (for me). I was actually near tears right at the end because I had become so involved with the book and its characters and I almost felt as if the tragedy was my own.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in either Zaïre (or Dem. Rep. Congo as it is today), Africa, or just likes to read a well written and intensely interesting novel.

I looked up 'foolhardy' in the dictionary, and Jeffrey Tayler's picture was there for illustration. Even Tayler admits at the end, in a brief but moving epilogue, that his initial motivations for the trip were absurd: "I had pictured (Zaire's) wilderness as a bourn where I could rejuvenate myself through suffering and achievement and the conquest of my fear. But my drama of self-actualization proved obscenely trivial beside the suffering of Zaireans and the injustices of their past. That it should have seems obvious to me now, but I learned this only by buying a pirogue and attempting the descent."

It's that type of personal insight - not the trip itself - that makes "Facing the Congo" such a great read. In fact, the blurbs for this book are misleading and fail to capture the best parts of the book. For example, the back cover says "But once his tiny boat pushed off the banks of the mysterious river...".

Hey, I'm here to tell you (and I think Tayler would agree) that the *least* compelling part of the book is the pirogue trip itself. It's what leads *up to* the first step in the pirogue and what happens after the trip that makes the book stand out from the average travelogue. Tayler travels upriver in a barge owned and operated by the book's standout character: Zairean Colonel Ekoondo. And, luckily, Tayler is obviously as fascinated with the guy as he figures his readers will be. In fact, when Tayler departs the barge and the Colonel leaves the picture, Tayler deflates...and so does the energy of the book. The paragraph where he takes leave of the Colonel is spine-tingling:

"There was another knock on the door. It was the Colonel. He looked grave. 'Don't play games with your safety. Hire a soldier.' He fixed me with his eyes. He stepped forward and hugged me hard, then wished me bon voyage and walked out...I closed the door and leaned back against the wall, feeling my heart pounding. In fact I was trembling. Whether he was in league with Mobutu or not, the Colonel had helped and protected me. He had treated me like a son; he had been straightforward with me; he hard asked nothing of me, nothing at all. During the long trip upriver I found only he dealt with me without pretense, without discernable ulterior motive; and only he perceived the risks of my venture and thought in practical terms about how to surmount them. Now I would go on without him."

Well done, Mr. Tayler. That's brilliant stuff.

The other thing worth noting: this is no ordinary traveler. Tayler's sojourns are backed by his astounding linguistic skills. This is a guy who speaks fluent French, Arabic and Russian for starters. And he picks up some Lingala for the journey. This guy is incredible. Thanks for the ride, Mr. Tayler (although staying at home with Tatyana in Moscow sounded like a far better option to me).

Tayler's ability to capture the full flavor of Africa while giving the reader room to make an assesment of this often violent culture attests to his flare and careful attention to the human experience. Tayler never forgets that he is traveling this river looking at its inhabitants with Western lenses. For the reader looking for adventure, this book is full-flavored. For a fellow and perhaps struggling writer, Tayler's words speak a priceless and empathetic language. But what makes the book most successful is that it speaks to anyone who has lived, loved, and searched for that missing piece, realizing it can always be found in the journey. It is travel writing at its best, full of observations and rhetorical questions presented to the reader as writing's greatest gift.

A great read for anyone interested in adventure travel or Central Africa. Tayler chronicles his travels along the 1,100 plus mile Congo river in Zaire, and his personal journey to find meaning in his existence.

Demonstrating laudatory courage, Tayler navigates the dangers of the Congo (e.g., weather, disease, beasts, banditry, corruption, etc.), first up-river as passenger on a barge, and then down-river along with two Zairean companions in his pirogue (a small wooden canoe) - a trip no mondele (i.e., white man) may have completed since the explorer Stanley (many of the several who have tried did not survive). The result is a compelling tale that provides a glimpse into Tayler's inner soul and the people of Central Africa, while also indirectly shedding light on political, economic and social issues regarding the developed and undeveloped world.

An eminently enjoyable read that you are not likely to be able to put down, and one which may cause you to contemplate planning your own existential journey.

Because I'm a tremendous Africa-phile, I found this book eye-opening and difficult to put down. Mr. Tayler's writing is very descriptive.