The
Democratic Republic of Congo, the second-largest country in Africa by area, has
had a fractured and bloody history, variously undone by decades of colonialism,
civil war, corruption,
and totalitarian rule. The
country has played a crucial role in the economic growth of the Global North,
but in doing so, has suffered immensely. So many seminal advances in technology
were possible only through the extraction of materials from Congo, from rubber
to copper to uranium to coltan. In each case, the Congolese people paid a great
price exacerbated by the weight of colonial exploitation and dictatorial rule.

In this comprehensive graphic history, author and illustrator Edmund Trueman explores the fractious story of Congo. Through deft illustrations and storytelling, Congo's history―not widely known to
Western readers―comes vividly alive. We
see how Congolese
musicians have spread their language across Africa by creating some of the most
popular music on the continent, and how Congolese women have spent decades sidestepping
sexist legislation to become leaders in local business. From resistance
against colonialism to the fight for independence and the self-determination to
make a life in an almost stateless place, Postcards from Congo depicts how
the Congolese people have resisted and survived in order to take control of their
lives and the country they call home.

Includes a foreword by historian Didier Gondola, Professor of African History and Africana
Studies at Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis.