Madame Livingstone - by Christophe Cassiau-Haurie (Paperback)

About the Book

Lake Tanganyika, Congo in the year 1915. Two vastly different men in a war that is not theirs, assigned to a virtually impossible mission: sink the German battleship, the Graf Von Götzen.

Book Synopsis

Lake Tanganyika, Congo in the year 1915. Two vastly different men in a war that is not theirs, assigned to a virtually impossible mission: sink the German battleship, the Graf Von Götzen.

Review Quotes

"Madame Livingstone uses a World War I conflict in the Congo as
the backdrop for an exciting adventure, glimpsing into the country's
history of colonial exploitation. [...] Madame Livingstone is a
rousing historical tale. Its excellent, authentic art is attentive to
details when picturing boats, airplanes, uniforms, and Congolese
clothing and landscapes."-Foreword Reviews

"Belgian comics curator Cassiau-Haurie (Le Singe Jaune) and Congolese cartoonist Baruti (Chaos Debout à Kinshasa) team up for a stellar historical graphic novel about another partnership, in the context of European colonialism in Africa during World War I. [...] Based on a true incident, this beautifully rendered and rousing graphic novel will give readers naïve about Belgian colonialism an entry point for understanding viewpoints and outcomes." -- Library Journal

"Belgian comics curator Cassiau-Haurie (Le Singe Jaune) and Congolese cartoonist Baruti (Chaos Debout àagrave; Kinshasa) team up for a stellar historical graphic novel about another partnership, in the context of European colonialism in Africa during World War I. [...] Based on a true incident, this beautifully rendered and rousing graphic novel will give readers naïve about Belgian colonialism an entry point for understanding viewpoints and outcomes." - Library Journal

"Not a simple action-oriented graphic representation, the colourful and often lurid visuals carry readers into places that their own minds may well have resisted. One can see the environment, visualize the territory, and conjure the many overarching and continual racist tensions. [...] This can be an engaging and conflicting experience that increases the adventure and supports Barly Baruti's statement: 'Comics are good dialogue.'' - Historical Novels Review

"The complexities of war are explored with a curious what-if twist in
this elegantly drawn adventure. [...] a well-researched drama of human
connections forged in an inhumane period." -Publishers Weekly

"There have been countless narratives about people who are "torn" between two racial heritages, but for the most part, Madame Livingstone felt like a fresh and nuanced character study. Livingstone knows exactly who he is; he has an affinity for his famous father and Scottish heritage, but his central motivation is to protect his African family and community and see the European war in Central Africa end as quickly as possible. The result felt like a nuanced meditation on the forms resistance can take within a colonial system. [...] [A] unique and important graphic novel." --2021 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee

"There have been countless narratives about people who are "torn" between two racial heritages, but for the most part, Madame Livingstone felt like a fresh and nuanced character study. Livingstone knows exactly who he is; he has an affinity for his famous father and Scottish heritage, but his central motivation is to protect his African family and community and see the European war in Central Africa end as quickly as possible. The result felt like a nuanced meditation on the forms resistance can take within a colonial system. [...] [A] unique and important graphic novel." -2021 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee

"Not a simple action-oriented graphic representation, the colourful and often lurid visuals carry readers into places that their own minds may well have resisted. One can see the environment, visualize the territory, and conjure the many overarching and continual racist tensions. [...] This can be an engaging and conflicting experience that increases the adventure and supports Barly Baruti's statement: 'Comics are good dialogue.'' -- Historical Novels Review

"Madame Livingstone uses a World War I conflict in the Congo as
the backdrop for an exciting adventure, glimpsing into the country's
history of colonial exploitation. [...] Madame Livingstone is a
rousing historical tale. Its excellent, authentic art is attentive to
details when picturing boats, airplanes, uniforms, and Congolese
clothing and landscapes."--Foreword Reviews

"The complexities of war are explored with a curious what-if twist in
this elegantly drawn adventure. [...] a well-researched drama of human
connections forged in an inhumane period." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Translator Ivanka Hahnenberger is a Franco-American citizen who has led an international career in business management, finance, film, television and digital production. Ivanka started her professional career as an investment-banking analyst. In 2007 she bought a brand licensing company VIP which she transformed into VIP BRANDS a comics agency, translation and consulting company. As an agency they represent world English rights for German, French and African comics publishers. As a consultancy they organize world comics events. Hahnenberger translates comics, children's books, catalogs, business proposals marketing plans and much more from French and German into English. She has translated Blue is the Warmest Colour by Julie Maroh, An Olympic Dream by Reinhard Kleist, and Catherine's War by Julia Billet, illustrated by Claire Fauvel, which was named a Batchelder Award Honor Book, amongst other books as well as Nudge theory white papers and several catalogs. She holds a Master's degree in International Development with a specialization in Intellectual Property. She has lived in over ten different cities.