Radio Congo: Signals of Hope from Africa's Deadliest War Paperback – March 1, 2013

As a teacher of Congolese refugees and a 1970s traveller in the Congo, it was interesting to compare how little had really changed for these people who are living in such a potentially rich country. It gave me insight into the conditions which have left most of the Congolese people I teach with PTSD. Radio Congo also depicts the resilience of the people and how they survive despite these setbacks. In my classroom it is evident just how determined they are, despite setbacks, to seize the opportunity to better themselves through education. Indeed, one of my students, a widow, has four daughters, two of whom are studying medicine at University and working part time to keep food on the table. I was also impressed with Rawlence's sketch of the high value property on Lake Kivu which is rented to aid agencies and also the ultra comfortable dining habits of the aid workers in the midst of so much destitution. The cynic in me can never understand how "aid workers" don't experience some form of dissonance when surrounded by so much poverty whilst sipping on wine or living in luxury accommodation.Full points for writing such an entertaining account of such a forgotten part of the world.

The title of the book leads one to believe that there would be more stories of the ways in which radios operate and help and affect the lives of people in the eastern DRC, but it only has one anecdotal story on a local radio station. This is a travelogue, a description of all the human life encountered on the road less traveled in Katanga province - a place were rarely foreigners enter. This is the biggest achievement of this book. Otherwise it is quite an easy to write, but an honest portrayal of the precarious conditions that people face in the eastern part of the country..all the characters and the wild truths of lives in all its varieties. But it is a bit unforgiving for the author who is a researcher at Human Rights Watch to write the shortest recap of the history of the conflict in DRC, unfortunately omitting a lot, and not always factual..the author's specialization on kiswahili speaking history of Eastern Africa is obvious, and these parts of the story are enjoyable. This is yet another road movie type book in the category of "traveling to the remote parts of Congo". Although honest, it is not very different from other books that have appeared these past few years, many of them written by journalists. It would have been more respectful to set this road story in a more appropriate historical and political context to improve the readers' understanding on why things are as they stand.

Young man has gutsy adventures off the beaten path in Congo. Way off the beaten path, and in that sense admirable. No hanging out in Kinshasa. But I didn't see the "signals of hope" referred to in the title.

I loved learning about what has been happening in Congo! I would never have imagined that life could be so difficult, so challenging!

A good romp through one of the most interesting places on earth - certainly one of the most unpredictable and volatile. I read most books "Congo related" and this one didn't disappoint.

Great story that describes his travels through war ravaged Congo. I like books that show me part of the world I am likely to never see.

This book helped me understand so much more on the awful wars that have been going on.Very well written.georgiaScottsdale

excellent story of life in an area we know so little about. look forward to reading his new boo, City of Thorns.

This is something of an emotional roller coaster. It is part travelogue, part history book, and part current affairs. Ben travels around the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through the ruins of the past.Although there are meetings with many optimistic people, I came away thoroughly depressed about the future of the country, and of course, about it's past, both colonial, and post-independence. The various ethnic groups have been pushed to hate each other by various groups, and this hatred led to the many wars that have engulfed the area in the last 25 years. Those wars have become a byword for casual atrocity, and the healing process hasn't really got under way yet.Everywhere the author goes, there is decay and devastation: nothing works, neither government, army, militia, or even the UN and aid organisations who both appear to be way out of their depth.All in all, a very good book, but don't expect to come away without some emotional turmoil.

Radio Congo is, ostensibly, an account the writer's trip along the shores and waters of Lake Tanganyika. But it is much more than a travel book. Ben Rawlence, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, has a deep knowledge and understanding of African history. A fluent Swahili speaker, his journey takes us to the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its resilient people. Colonialism, war, and their aftermath, are prevailing themes, but Radio Congo is no catalogue of horrors. The great strength of the book is the way in which it allows the people to tell their own story and to engage us in the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of their hot, damaged and deeply exploited country.

I've always been intrigued by Africa, and especially the Congo and have read a couple of books on the country previously. However, Ben Rawlence takes a unique approach to the problems facing the country by using the fledgling networks of radio broadcasters struggling to get information out to their local communities. He also highlights the good news stories in a country that is often seen to be brutal and dangerous, and demonstrates how welcoming and friendly the population are, in spite of all that has occurred over the last 70 years. A brilliant book.

This is a most unusual book as the author went into parts of DR Congo that are even more "off the beaten track" than the usual areas. By doing so he uncovered aspects of that country's history that is not often told. This book is well worth reading. It was originally recommended to me by someone who went on a mission team to that very area!

Enjoying the friendship of one or two Congolese, this book was of immediate interest to me. The writer describes his travels to the south of the country, encountering many problems and dangers on the way, but the hospitality, courage and warmth of the Congolese shines through every chapter. Their inventiveness against superhuman odds adds humour and humanity to this honest and well-written odyssey. The role of radio in Congo is a constant thread, whether for information, entertainment or other purposes.Not a read-on-the-train book - it is too full of detail!