
The Lumumba Plot
The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination
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Narrated by:
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Michael Boatman
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By:
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Stuart A. Reid
The New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice • A spellbinding work of history that comes across like a Cold War spy thriller—about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The Economist, Financial Times
“This is one of the best books I have read in years . . . gripping, full of colorful characters, and strange plot twists.”—Fareed Zakaria, CNN host
It was supposed to be a moment of great optimism, a cause for jubilation. The Congo was at last being set free from Belgium—one of seventeen countries to gain independence in 1960 from ruling European powers. At the helm as prime minister was charismatic nationalist Patrice Lumumba. Just days after the handover, however, the Congo’s new army mutinied, Belgian forces intervened, and Lumumba turned to the United Nations for help in saving his newborn nation from what the press was already calling “the Congo crisis.” Dag Hammarskjöld, the tidy Swede serving as UN secretary-general, quickly arranged the organization’s biggest peacekeeping mission in history. But chaos was still spreading. Frustrated with the fecklessness of the UN and spurned by the United States, Lumumba then approached the Soviets for help—an appeal that set off alarm bells at the CIA. To forestall the spread of Communism in Africa, the CIA sent word to its station chief in the Congo, Larry Devlin: Lumumba had to go.
Within a year, everything would unravel. The CIA plot to murder Lumumba would fizzle out, but he would be deposed in a CIA-backed coup, transferred to enemy territory in a CIA-approved operation, and shot dead by Congolese assassins. Hammarskjöld, too, would die, in a mysterious plane crash en route to negotiate a cease-fire with the Congo’s rebellious southeast. And a young, ambitious military officer named Joseph Mobutu, who had once sworn fealty to Lumumba, would seize power with U.S. help and misrule the country for more than three decades. For the Congolese people, the events of 1960-61 represented the opening chapter of a long horror story. For the U.S. government, however, they provided a playbook for future interventions.
©2023 Stuart A. Reid (P)2023 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
“Fascinating. . . . Reid develops his main characters beautifully, especially Lumumba. . . . [A] carefully researched book that warns us about what is lost when tensions between great powers play out in the developing world.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Reid has brought welcome narrative coherence to a globe-spanning, multilayered story. He manages a difficult balancing act, serving up the detail that will satisfy experts while providing the dramatic tension and character analysis craved by the general reader. Despite the story’s complexity, one’s attention never wanders.”—The Atlantic
"[The Lumumba Plot] is many things at once: a biography, a history of Congo’s chaotic independence, a dissection of the UN’s first big peacekeeping mission and a thriller about plots to kill Lumumba. There are villains of every stripe, from rogue Belgian pilots to shamelessly scheming UN officials and racist ambassadors. This is a tragic tale but also a rollicking read. . . . Lumumba’s life might seem of a distant, dramatic era. Yet this story feels timely.”—The Economist
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Excellence
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Superb Read!
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This book is easily (at least to date) the most complete and organized literature you will find about the CIA and American involvement in the Congo crisis.
The best book on the Congo crisis.
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Tragic, educational, and thorough
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A must read for all!
Final Clarity
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A must read for those interested in colonial history
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Fascinating from start to finish
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Stuart Reid's "The Lumumba Plot" is an absolute must-listen for anyone interested in the tumultuous birth of post-colonial Africa, the chilling machinations of Cold War espionage, or simply a masterfully crafted narrative of political intrigue.
Michael Boatman's narration is superb, drawing listeners into the heart of 1960s Congo with his nuanced portrayal of a diverse cast of characters - from the idealistic but tragically naive Patrice Lumumba, to the calculating CIA operatives, and the enigmatic UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld.
Reid's meticulous research and compelling prose bring this complex historical episode to life with cinematic clarity. The narrative deftly balances the grand sweep of geopolitics with intimate portraits of individuals caught in a maelstrom of events beyond their control.
The Audible format enhances the experience, allowing you to be fully immersed in the tension and drama of this pivotal moment in history. It's a testament to the enduring power of great storytelling that a work of nonfiction can feel as suspenseful as the best spy thrillers.
Highly recommended for history buffs, political junkies, and anyone who appreciates a superbly narrated, thought-provoking audiobook.
A tour de force
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US interference at its best
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Great book
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