"This study is a remarkably compact and honest summary of incredibly complex events in Congo since 1998. Turner is among a handful of Congo observers with the breadth of knowledge and confidence to distill the country�s recent history in such an excellent manner.  His digest of both the causes and consequences of Congo's recent tragedies will stimulate the thinking of laymen, students, and scholars alike." John F. Clark, Florida International University "The book on Congo that I have been waiting for: compact, powerful, and judicious. It is clear without oversimplifying the complexity. It provides an important historical perspective, and makes sexual violence central to the set of problems that need to be explained. Perfect for classroom use, and an excellent primer on the central issues for experts and readers of all hues." Nancy Rose Hunt, University of Michigan "With keen attention to historical detail, Turner offers a wide-ranging analysis of the political and humanitarian challenges posed by the Congo's agonies; no one seriously interested in taking the measure of the unfolding crisis can afford to ignore this compelling effort to make intelligible its never-ending quest for peace and stability." René Lemarchand, University of Florida "Thomas Turner has written a powerful book about the causes and consequences of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As an American academic and country specialist of Amnesty International, the author has achieved comprehensiveness in a compact and very accessible manner. Excellently researched and wellwritten, the text comes with many advantages, but none of the disadvantages of its academic peers. It is to be recommended as a substantial but digestible introduction to the country, while also offering a large number of facts and interesting reflections to those who are more familiar with it. It demonstrates great understanding of the Congolese context, while also bringing in new perspectives." Political Studies Review