My 15 y/o grandson is studying colonialism in Africa.

[MoonRiver]

An amazing, but horrifying, book I read years ago is King Leopold's Ghost. I'm a little worried it might be too intense and graphic about the torture that occurred against indigenous people in the Congo. But his class seems to be delving deep into the issue, so I'm thinking it would be ok to give him this book. Thoughts?

[Blue_Adept]

1. Only his parents truly know what he's likely ready for

And they should be asked anyway.

That said, teenagers should be exposed to the more difficult things in history to begin with in order to understand the past and what happened.

[MoonRiver]

3. Yes, I plan to mention it to them.

But they are very liberal and have never hidden reality, in age appropriate ways, from their sons. The "baby" is 10, and he's made it clear he doesn't want to hear or see scary things. This older one wanted to talk with me about African colonialism and seems very interested in learning more.

[hlthe2b]

5. Yes agree. But in general when I think back to what I was exposed to early WITH the opportunity to

discuss with parents and other adults, it prepared me for all the difficult issues to come.

Teens need to understand the world and they can't do so if not exposed to it and that includes tragic history.

[Blue_Adept]

7. I agree complete

That said, I would not want my parents doing that with my kids without asking first - and made that clear to them. It's all about proper respect of the parenting process - something they themselves would have wanted in the same situation.

[hlthe2b]

9. Indeed. This is the parent's ultimate decision.

[IluvPitties]

12. I like the fact that my parents never intervened

with my school's curriculum. I was exposed to a lot of things without having to worry about what my parents thought. I made up my own mind.

[hlthe2b]

14. is it intervening in school's curriculum or complementing it?

[IluvPitties]

2. Fantastic!

Knowledge is power.

[MoonRiver]

4. I agree!

[el_bryanto]

6. I'm not sure any accurate book about Coloniasm in Africa is going to be an undisturbing read

In fact that's the sort of history that should disturb you.

Bryant

[MoonRiver]

8. Very true, and that is what he told me.

Studying this subject has really opened his eyes.

[bobbieinok]

10. Where is his school? Amazed some haven't attacked the course as 'unAmerican', ie

antislavery, aka antiTrump

[MineralMan]

11. Everyone is different, but by the time I was 15,

my parents had stopped bothering about what books I read.

[catrose]

13. If he reads science fiction, you might push Nisi Shawl's Everfair at him

It's a steampunk, alternative history of Africa under King Leopold. She thankfully spares us the most graphic parts, but you definitely get the idea of what's going on. It might be a gentler introduction.

[malaise]

15. Give him and let him read three others

Walter Rodney - How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
Eric Williams Capitalism and Slavery and a novel
Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness

[MoonRiver]

16. Thanks malaise!

I read Heart of Darkness, but may get the other two for myself, and pass them on to him.

[Javaman]

17. excellent book!

it is intense subject matter. you may want to discuss it with him as he reads it.

[NCTraveler]

18. The tough thing about groups of fifteen year olds.

Is how diverse their level of maturity is.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. Talk to the teacher

If the class is exploring these issues, then the book should be appropriate. And, if the class is exploring these issues, your decision to give or not give the book is moot, so may as well give the book.

But, if you give the book, be prepared for some interesting dinner-table discussions.

[applegrove]

20. Will definitely be a shocker. Are you ready for a kid who knows the worst of humanity at 15?

[IronLionZion]

21. The Belgian colonists were the worst

And they made out like bandits. More people need to study what really happened there. I wish they had taught it better in school but I mainly learned that they made tons of profit from the natural resources and nothing about the horrifying atrocities against human beings.

King Leopold essentially took over that land for himself as a private venture without his country's government support.