East Along the Equator: A Journey Up the Congo and Into Zaire

"After a 15-year absence from Africa, the author and her companion gamely embark upon a 2000 mile, two-month trek by boat, bus, and truck into the heart of Zaire, the former Belgian Congo. The result is this appealing, wide-ranging blend of travel writing and political journalism. Everyday adventures and life are described and used as springboards to a broader exposition on the colonial past and desperate present of Zaire. In the background always is the corrupt and corrupting President Mobutu, whose security police finally expel Winternitz. Entertaining and informative for both the adult reader and student of Africa." -- Publishers Weekly