The Black Heart: A Voyage into Central Africa (Armchair Traveller Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is actually three books in one: a travelogue, a "literary adventure," and a series of historical narratives taken from European adventurers who traveled the Congo a century ago and whose footsteps Hyland tries to follow. It is a curious combination, and the historical snippets may confuse those not familiar with Zaire. While generally well written, there are some questionable "literary" gems. Overall, however, this is quite interesting; recommended for larger collections.
- Paul H. Thomas, Hoover Inst. Lib., Stanford, Cal.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Paragon House Publishers; 1 edition (September 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557783233
• ISBN-13: 978-1557783233
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,184,320 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars absorbing reading--recommended, August 25, 2008

By	Michael Starks "Featherless Biped" (Milky Way) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Normally I would not take the time for a review but when I looked for his other books and found no reviews I thought I would do him and readers a favor. Hyland is an excellent writer and he has done a fine job of blending his trip to West Africa in the 80's with the prior accounts of his friends, relatives and many others, including most notably the famous novelist Conrad, going back well into the 19th century. This is one of the rare cases where the cover blurb is accurate: "Paul Hyland skillfully interweaves mythology, history, literature and contemporary reportage into an intensely vivid and powerful experience." Many of the extracts of older works remind us that robbery, murder, slavery, mutilation and cannibalism were common in much of the continent up to the end of the 19th century and that then, as now, unpleasant and often life threatening diseases are a normal part of daily life. But Hyland is also a poet and there and many passages portraying the beauty and otherworldliness of Africa that compensate. It is absorbing reading and makes me want to get his other books.