Van Reybrouck conducted hundreds of interviews with Congolese people, ranging from child soldiers and female smugglers to centenarians who lived through the transition from colonial rule to independence.
Initial exploration and the arrival of Henry Morton Stanley. Congo: een geschiedenis
The narrative is organized chronologically through several key eras: Congo: een geschiedenis
The "Congo Crisis" following independence, including the death of Patrice Lumumba. Congo: een geschiedenis
The book won numerous prestigious awards, including the J. Greshoff Prize (2010) and the AKO Literature Prize (2010).