Book description
A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller--about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo "This is one of the best books I have read in years . . . gripping, full of colorful characters, and strange plot twists." --Fareed Zakaria, CNN host It was supposed to be a moment of great optimism, a cause for jubilation. The Congo was at last being set free from Belgium--one of seventeen countries to gain independence in 1960 from ruling European powers. At the helm as prime minister was charismatic nationalist Patrice Lumumba. Just days after the handover, however, the Congo's new army mutinied, Belgian forces intervened, and Lumumba turned to the United Nations for help in saving his newborn nation from what the press was already calling "the Congo crisis." Dag Hammarskjöld, the tidy Swede serving as UN secretary-general, quickly arranged the organization's biggest peacekeeping mission in history. But chaos was still spreading. Frustrated with the fecklessness of the UN and spurned by the United States, Lumumba then approached the Soviets for help--an appeal that set off alarm bells at the CIA. To forestall the spread of Communism in Africa, the CIA sent word to its station chief in the Congo, Larry Devlin: Lumumba had to go. Within a year, everything would unravel. The CIA plot to murder Lumumba would fizzle out, but he would be deposed in a CIA-backed coup, transferred to enemy territory in a CIA-approved operation, and shot dead by Congolese assassins. Hammarskjöld, too, would die, in a mysterious plane crash en route to negotiate a cease-fire with the Congo's rebellious southeast. And a young, ambitious military officer named Joseph Mobutu, who had once sworn fealty to Lumumba, would seize power with U.S. help and misrule the country for more than three decades. For the Congolese people, the events of 1960-61 represented the opening chapter of a long horror story. For the U.S. government, however, they provided a playbook for future interventions.
Plum Moon
🎉 This app's functionality is a masterpiece – it seamlessly integrates audiobooks into my daily routine. 📚🎨 Noise reduction and voice tone adjustment enhance the listening experience significantly. ListenBook has completely changed how I enjoy audiobooks. The app is packed with features like customizable skip intervals, playback speed, and sleep timers. The interface is clean and easy to navigate. Five stars!
Teeder
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Married Man
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Mercury Reborn
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Classy Luck
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Princess Dove
The sleek and user-friendly interface makes navigating the app a breeze. It's a pleasure to use. The app is lightweight and doesn’t drain my battery.
RawSkills
The ListenBook app is a must-have for anyone who loves to learn and be entertained through audiobooks. 🏃♂️📚 Combining fitness and fiction – this app keeps me motivated during workouts with its engaging stories! 🏃♂️📖 ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature has made my recordings sound clearer than ever.
Drugstore Cowboy
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The Shield Toronto
ListenBook's commitment to providing a smooth and enjoyable listening experience is evident in every detail. With ListenBook, I can listen to my favorite audiobooks and speeches with the utmost comfort and convenience. Perfect for studying with its playback controls and audio filters. Excellent app! The app is very intuitive. ListenBook makes finding and playing audiobooks simple. I don't have strong feelings about this one either way. The narration was competent but forgettable. The story itself was more engaging than the performance.
Wooden German
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DreamDiver
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Mad Jack
ListenBook's dedication to excellence shines through in its impeccable audio quality and user-friendly features. Bookmarks are a lifesaver for my study materials. I can easily revisit important sections.
Sherm
Kudos to the creators for making literature so accessible and enjoyable. Supports artwork and metadata perfectly. My library looks great!
Killer Grenade
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MysticMingle
I'm hooked on ListenBook's silky-smooth playback, making my audio sessions truly enjoyable. ListenBook's audio filters and controls have turned my listening into a personalized experience. Finally, an app that lets me enjoy audiobooks without worrying about file formats! An absolutely stellar production from start to finish! The narrator's command of pacing and tone was masterful, knowing exactly when to speed up for excitement or slow down for dramatic effect. The audio quality was pristine with no distracting mouth sounds or uneven volume.
Bourbon Mirage
Changing the tone of the sound on ListenBook is a fun feature that adds a unique touch to my audiobook experience. This app's intuitive features and easy navigation make it the perfect companion for any audiobook lover. This app's seamless integration with my devices has made audiobook listening a hassle-free experience. Adjusting the tone of the voice is a unique and fun feature. I can customize the narration to my liking. Adjusting playback speed has revolutionized the way I learn and enjoy audiobooks. I can adapt the pace to my needs, maximizing comprehension and retention.
Spooky Electric
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Silver Cup
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Red Woman
I can't believe how much more productive I am – I'm learning and growing while multitasking! ListenBook's audio filters allow me to customize the audio playback to suit my preferences perfectly. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature has transformed the audio quality. It's crystal clear now. ListenBook is the best audiobook player I’ve ever used. The app is packed with features like customizable skip intervals, playback speed, and sleep timers. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it a joy to use. Five stars!
Whip Chu
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Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience