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A River That Is Congo: Of Rulers and Ruled
Pierre d'Entremont was the pampered youngest son of a successful French banking family. With an older brother to carry on the family tradition, Pierre is enrolled in the E'cole Militaire with the thought of a political career to follow his military service. But when the chief cashier embezzles all the bank's money and escapes to the Americas, Pierre suddenly has to earn a living. He has heard that a fortune can be made in King Leopold's Congo Free State. Although he has heard stories, mostly told by the British and Americans, of atrocities perpetrated on the natives by King Leopold's agents, stories the King denies, Pierre concludes that, given his military training, his best option is to enter King Leopold's Congo military service. Pierre arrives in the Congo in 1902. Within the first month, he becomes sick and nearly dies; makes an enemy of Harou, Leopold's most powerful man in the Congo; and, on the way to his posting, must always keep his gun within reach. Of Rulers and Ruled is an historical novel of one man's heroic struggle against the greed, cruelty, and terror of a corrupt government in colonial Africa. Pierre d'Entremont went to Africa to seek his fortune, and stayed to fight an evil regime.
246 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2012
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3 people want to read
About the author
Paul Stam
6 books1 followerAt age 13 Paul was hunting big game in Africa with his father, not as a sport but to provide food for the station. With his father he's hunted rogue leopard's that were stealing livestock from a village. He's had a leopard's face six inches from his own in the middle of the night where the only thing protecting him was the mosquito net.
Paul J. Stam was born of missionary parents in the northeast corner of the Belgian Congo, which was about as far into Africa as you could go. He grew up listening to the accounts of the old timers, some of who were the first whites in that part of Africa. From them he heard the tribal traditions that they had heard from the "Story Keepers."
Just before the end of World War II, when he was 15, he came with his parents to the United States.
After graduating from high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard a destroyer during the Korean War. His tour of duty completed, Paul attend the University of Minnesota and later joined the staff. While on the staff the University of Minnesota sent Paul to the Hawaiian Islands to attend a conference.
Paul immediately fell in love with the Islands. When he returned to Minnesota he turned in his resignation and headed back to the Islands.
Within two months of arriving in Hawaii, Paul was crewing on a sailboat. After a year of sailing the pacific on other people's boats, Paul decided it was time to get a boat of his own. Together with his wife Terry and their ten-year-old son Steven, they built their dreamboat, which they launched in 1978. He signed the contract for his first book aboard their newly launched "Waiola."
After eight years of sailing between Hawaii and French Polynesia they sold the boat and started living a normal life so Steven could attend college.
Among other things, pretty much in this order, Paul has been a construction worker (while going to college), university teacher and administrator before and after the sailing days and a sailboat skipper.
Paul is now retired and lives in Hawaii where he spends a lot of time on the potter's wheel making bowls and mugs and at the computer writing.
Paul J. Stam was born of missionary parents in the northeast corner of the Belgian Congo, which was about as far into Africa as you could go. He grew up listening to the accounts of the old timers, some of who were the first whites in that part of Africa. From them he heard the tribal traditions that they had heard from the "Story Keepers."
Just before the end of World War II, when he was 15, he came with his parents to the United States.
After graduating from high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard a destroyer during the Korean War. His tour of duty completed, Paul attend the University of Minnesota and later joined the staff. While on the staff the University of Minnesota sent Paul to the Hawaiian Islands to attend a conference.
Paul immediately fell in love with the Islands. When he returned to Minnesota he turned in his resignation and headed back to the Islands.
Within two months of arriving in Hawaii, Paul was crewing on a sailboat. After a year of sailing the pacific on other people's boats, Paul decided it was time to get a boat of his own. Together with his wife Terry and their ten-year-old son Steven, they built their dreamboat, which they launched in 1978. He signed the contract for his first book aboard their newly launched "Waiola."
After eight years of sailing between Hawaii and French Polynesia they sold the boat and started living a normal life so Steven could attend college.
Among other things, pretty much in this order, Paul has been a construction worker (while going to college), university teacher and administrator before and after the sailing days and a sailboat skipper.
Paul is now retired and lives in Hawaii where he spends a lot of time on the potter's wheel making bowls and mugs and at the computer writing.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 26, 2013
How much do we as Americans know about Africa? Precious little, as this book reveals. Paul Stam grew up in the Congo before World War II and heard the old timers’ stories. He has forged an unforgettable epic of one European’s life in that part of Africa. Pierre d’Entremont was born into a wealthy merchant-class family, but fortunes changed when their business failed. He signs up with the Belgium Force Publique and is sent to the Congo. Once there, he finds his role as a soldier is solely to protect King Leopold’s commercial ventures.
In poignant and chilling detail, Stam takes the reader through the mistreatment and enslavement of the native population. Pierre begins to break the rules: he treats the people as human beings and learns the native language. His report on the atrocities he has witnessed leads to some change. However, the forces aligned against him are overwhelming. He becomes part of the governing structure and does what he is able under adverse circumstances. Pierre’s dealings and relationships with the Congolese are the most interesting part of the story.
Pierre d’Entremont may be modeled after Pierre de Brazza, who was an early explorer and founder of the French Congo, now the neighboring Republic of the Congo. However, there is no making of a “hero” of Pierre d’Entremont in these pages. He is a decent human being in an untenable situation. The book ends in 1960 when the Democratic Republic of the Congo became independent.
The writing varies from refreshing to detail-oriented; some of the passages are memorable, some lines perfect, while others dwell on a step by step description or the mundane. Ultimately, the writing conveys a strong story. A River That Is Congo is fascinating and continues to resonate long after reading.
Among the reading Stam recommends are: King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa, by Adam Hochschild, 1998; and Roger Casement’s 1904 Report.
In poignant and chilling detail, Stam takes the reader through the mistreatment and enslavement of the native population. Pierre begins to break the rules: he treats the people as human beings and learns the native language. His report on the atrocities he has witnessed leads to some change. However, the forces aligned against him are overwhelming. He becomes part of the governing structure and does what he is able under adverse circumstances. Pierre’s dealings and relationships with the Congolese are the most interesting part of the story.
Pierre d’Entremont may be modeled after Pierre de Brazza, who was an early explorer and founder of the French Congo, now the neighboring Republic of the Congo. However, there is no making of a “hero” of Pierre d’Entremont in these pages. He is a decent human being in an untenable situation. The book ends in 1960 when the Democratic Republic of the Congo became independent.
The writing varies from refreshing to detail-oriented; some of the passages are memorable, some lines perfect, while others dwell on a step by step description or the mundane. Ultimately, the writing conveys a strong story. A River That Is Congo is fascinating and continues to resonate long after reading.
Among the reading Stam recommends are: King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa, by Adam Hochschild, 1998; and Roger Casement’s 1904 Report.
August 9, 2023
Good story
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews