“The best account [of the conflict in the Congo] so far….The task facing anyone who tries to tell this whole story is formidable, but Stearns by and large rises to it.” —Adam Hochschild, New York Times Book Review “[A] tour de force, though not for the squeamish.” —Washington Post “This is a serious book about the social and political forces behind one of the most violent clashes of modern times—as well as a damn good read.” —Economist “[P]erhaps the best account of the most recent conflict in the Congo.” —Foreign Policy “A serious, admirably balanced account of the crisis and the political and social forces behind it… perhaps the most accessible, meticulously researched, and comprehensive overview of the Congo crisis yet.” —Financial Times