I hadn't really known much about Leopold prior to reading this book, other than one of his daughter's married a man who ultimately was part of a murder-suicide with his mistress. He seems like he was a completely unpleasant person to interact with. Certainly, his (and so many others) attitude toward African people and colonization was gross. I learned a lot about rubber plantations and the treatment of people in the Congo from this book. I would recommend it.