Originally published: London: Chatto & Windus, 2007, under title: Blood river : a journey to Africa's broken heart

Africa's broken heart -- The final frontier -- Cobalt town -- The pearl of Tanganyika -- Walked to death -- The Jungle Books -- Up a river without a paddle -- Pirogue progress -- The Equator Express -- Bend in the river -- River passage -- Road rage

The author recounts his audacious and perilous quest through the Congo as he retraced the 1874 expedition of explorer H.M. Stanley to map the Congo River, traveling alone with an assortment of vehicles, including a motorbike and dugout canoe, and aided by characters ranging from U.N. aid workers to a pygmy-rights advocate