Bongo Bongo Bongo: I Don't Wanna Leave the Congo

by Veronica Cecil | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 9780795702822 Global Overview for this book
Registered by klaradyn of Praha, Praha Czech Republic on 1/28/2010
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by klaradyn from Praha, Praha Czech Republic on Thursday, January 28, 2010
From the publisher's website: "In the early 1960s, twenty five-year-old Veronica Cecil decided to move to the Congo with her husband when he was offered a good post at a large multi-national company. Filled with enthusiasm for their new life the couple and their eleven-month-old son set off for an African adventure . . .

But Veronica arrived to find a newly independent country in chaos after the murder of the democratically elected Patrice Lumumba and she was forced to face realities such as food shortages and the internal politics and tension between the locals and the colonials in the capital, Leopoldville. Six months after their arrival in the Congo, they were finally sent to Elizabetha, a remote palm oil plantation on the banks of the Congo River.

It’s during their stay in Elizabetha that brutal civil war broke out. The rebels had captured the neighbouring town of Stanleyville and taken all the whites hostage. Despite the fact that Veronica was on the verge of giving birth, the situation was so dangerous that she and her toddler were to be evacuated. Leaving her husband and all their possessions behind, she and her son began on a two-day journey through the jungle. But on the plane back to Leopoldville, the first labour pains began . . ."

Journal Entry 2 by klaradyn at Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa on Friday, July 23, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (7/22/2010 UTC) at Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa

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Now on the way to bookman-8 in Germany, as part of the Two Worlds VBB. I had to use surface mail, so the book will take a while to get there.

Journal Entry 3 by book-man-8 at Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Thursday, August 19, 2010
The book arrived quite some time ago. Sorry for the delayed JE, but I was just moving from one place to another. It might take some time till I can read it, as my Mount TBR is quite high.
Thanks for sharing and sending!

Journal Entry 4 by book-man-8 at Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I finalle got aroud to read this book. A most interesting read, showing only a tiny sequel of what happend in the ex-belgian congo after independance. As at the time - I was a teenager - I followed those events in the papers, I found it most interesting to get this other view on things. A very personal view.

Thanks for this book. I'll now see, if I can find somebody else interested in reading it.

It will be a RAY... The following bookcrossers read along:

"abigailann" from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (UK only)
"shovelmonkey1" from Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom (UK / EU preferred)
"Icila" from Nantes, Pays de la Loire, France (worldwide)


Journal Entry 5 by book-man-8 at Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Thursday, March 24, 2011

Released 13 yrs ago (3/24/2011 UTC) at Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg Germany

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The book ist off to England. enjoy!

Journal Entry 6 by abigailann at Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Thanks for sending this my way, looking forward to reading it.

Journal Entry 7 by abigailann at Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, April 9, 2011

Wow, what a long title! You'll probably be glad to know that this book is proportionatly nowhere near as long. Although, having said that, it was a good enough book to cope with being longer! This is a very interesting real story of life in the Congo and, particularly, the changing relationships between people of black and white skin-colours. I love the fact that Cecil talks about this very openly, as the issues can often be side-stepped in an attempt to be 'politically correct'. Her relationships between other people that she was supposed to get on with were also interesting. Ontop of this, I learnt a lot about a conflict that I knew had once existed, but which I didn't know that much really. Definatly worth a read in my opinion!

Journal Entry 8 by abigailann at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (4/12/2011 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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Sent onto the next reader. Enjoy :)

Journal Entry 9 by shovelmonkey1 at Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Thursday, April 14, 2011
Received today in the post thank you! Am so far amused by the cover which makes it look like the trailer for a 1950's movie rather than a book. Will read and release soon.

Journal Entry 10 by shovelmonkey1 at Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Monday, April 18, 2011
Once I'd got over the awful title and the 1950s cinemascope style cover this book turned out to be a pretty interesting read. Veronica Cecil presents her experiences as an ex pat wife in an open and very readable way. Personally I'd love to have the opportunity to visit the Congo and experience life at the edge of the world's greatest river but I'd do it alone as I don't think the Congo today is the best place to bring up kids. This book was a good insight into another perspective on African life, a subject which I continue to be very interested in. My next African read will be the fatal shore by Robert Hughes. Waiting to here from Icila then this book will be moving on.

Journal Entry 11 by shovelmonkey1 at Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Monday, April 18, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (4/18/2011 UTC) at Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom

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This book is now heading off to France to join Icila. Happy reading!

Journal Entry 12 by wingIcilawing at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Received this moring. Thanks shovelmonkey !

Journal Entry 13 by wingIcilawing at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, May 16, 2011
Finished 2 weeks ago but I was busy with tidying (house-renovation). Not my cup of tea.

I liked the book but I was a bit disconcerted. I know many expatwomen in Africa, I know the Congo (Brazza) and couldn't understand Veronica.
I know she was young (not so young) but her parents were expats and she lived the conflicts when a child herself. So why take all these dangers for her own children?

"A very personal view" I agree with you, book-man-8. Thanks for sharing.

Journal Entry 14 by wingIcilawing at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (10/4/2011 UTC) at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France

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On its way to candy-is-dandy as part of the vekiki's non-fiction VBB .

Journal Entry 15 by candy-is-dandy at Braintree, Essex United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Arrived safely. Thank you.

I lived as a child in an expat community in Nigeria in the 60s so very interested in this. I wonder if it will seem familiar though as a child I was not particularly aware of tension and politics.

Journal Entry 16 by candy-is-dandy at Great Bardfield, Essex United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 2, 2018
I haven’t got around to reading this so it’s time to move it on.

Released 5 yrs ago (10/5/2018 UTC) at Ipswich BC Unconvention 2018 in Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom

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Reserved for the book-fest tables at the Ipswich Unconvention. I hope it gets more attention than I’ve given it.

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