h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been reading a fascinating boook about the Belgian Congo, particularly how Leopold II of Belgium used deceit in gaining it for his personal property. It is beautifully written. It is "King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild copyrighted 1998. I bought it at London Heathrow whilst travelling.

It's so very well written but rather ghastly as you become aware of the genocide and enslavement about to be sprung onto the natives of that sad land.

I highly reccommend this book. I have no interest financially in the book at all. I am a clerk at an entertainment company and history is a hobby. That and travel and monarchies of the world.

I've seen many photos of how beautiful tiny Belgium is. I'd once asked a friend where did Belgium get all that money to build so many fine buildings. The answer I got was, to paraphrase, "trade." But the true trade was in human slavery. Under the guise of ending the the trafficking of humans by "Arab slave traders..." Leopold set up dummy corporations which dealt in these slaves. He was a rather horrible man.

Perhaps I will post more as I read more. It's one of those books I'm constantly sneaking off to read at lunch, during breaks, and on the bus to and from work. Great fun and riveting reading.