Congo Journey

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I am reading this fabulous travel-adventure book – Congo Journey by Redmond O’Hanlon.
Somewhere on page 188 in my Penguin Books edition (I Love Penguin Books – They Are The Best!) it says:

‘It’s a bit like the psychological bargains Christians or Muslims strike with themselves: you agree to abandon for life your ability to think straight; you accept a job-lot of fairy tales, all kinds of absurdities; and in return for the effort it costs to push your intellect back into bed every time you get up in the morning, you’re released from the big one, the fear of death. You can really start to tell yourself that you’ll see your dead mother and father again, that your dead children are not dead, that your dead friends are still sitting drinking round the fire, and maybe, even your favorite dog is waiting for you, fast asleep…’

Yup, it summarizes it quite comprehensively. Very well put, Redso! That’s exactly how it is, no doubt about that. I couldn’t have said it better myself – he he he! A palliative. For a toothache.

Andrew Brown from The Guardian has written here few years ago a fascinating account of Redmond, the Man.