How Long to Read In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism

How Long Does it Take to Read In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism?

It takes the average reader 6 hours and 30 minutes to read In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism by J. P. Daughton

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The epic story of the Congo-Océan railroad and the human costs and contradictions of modern empire. The Congo-Océan railroad stretches across the Republic of Congo from Brazzaville to the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noir. It was completed in 1934, when Equatorial Africa was a French colony, and it stands as one of the deadliest construction projects in history. Colonial workers were subjects of an ostensibly democratic nation whose motto read “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,” but liberal ideals were savaged by a cruelly indifferent administrative state. African workers were forcibly conscripted and separated from their families, and subjected to hellish conditions as they hacked their way through dense tropical foliage—a “forest of no joy”; excavated by hand thousands of tons of earth in order to lay down track; blasted their way through rock to construct tunnels; or risked their lives building bridges over otherwise impassable rivers. In the process, they suffered disease, malnutrition, and rampant physical abuse, likely resulting in at least 20,000 deaths. In the Forest of No Joy captures in vivid detail the experiences of the men, women, and children who toiled on the railroad, and forces a reassessment of the moral relationship between modern industrialized empires and what could be called global humanitarian impulses—the desire to improve the lives of people outside of Europe. Drawing on exhaustive research in French and Congolese archives, a chilling documentary record, and heartbreaking photographic evidence, J.P. Daughton tells the epic story of the Congo-Océan railroad, and in doing so reveals the human costs and contradictions of modern empire.

How long is In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism?

In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism by J. P. Daughton is 384 pages long, and a total of 97,536 words.

This makes it 130% the length of the average book. It also has 119% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 8 hours and 52 minutes to read In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism aloud.

What Reading Level is In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism?

In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism?

In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism by J. P. Daughton is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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