Consuming the Congo War and Conflict Minerals in the World's Deadliest Place

Going behind the headlines and deep into the brutal world of the Congo, this expose examines why eastern Congo is the most dangerous place on the planet. While the Western world takes for granted its creature comforts such as cell phones or computers, five million Congolese needlessly die in the quest for the valuable minerals that make those technologies work. Much of the war-torn country has largely become lawless, overrun by warlords who exploit and murder the population for their own gain. Delving into the history of the former Belgian colony, this book exposes the horror of day-to-day life in the Congo, largely precipitated by colonial exploitation and internal strife after gaining independence. It offers not only a view into the dire situation but also examines how the Western world, a part of the problem, can become a part of the solution.

Peter Eichstaedt is a veteran journalist and author whose work on issues pertaining to human rights has taken him all over the globe. As Africa editor for the Institute of War and Peace in Reporting in The Hague, he traveled extensively in Africa to cover war crimes and trials. He won the 2010 Colorado Book Award for history for his book First Kill Your Family and is also the author of If You Poison Us and Pirate State. His writing has appeared the Denver Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He lives near Denver, Colorado.