Madame Livingstone
The Great War in the Congo
Madame Livingstone is based on the true story of the unlikely partnership between a Belgian and an African who were responsible for the sinking of a German battleship in the Congo during the First World War. Aviator Gaston Mercier, lieutenant in the Royal Belgian Army, arrives at Lake Tanganyika, Congo in 1915 on orders to sink a critical German warship, the Graf Von Götzen. To find out the ship’s exact position, he is assigned a guide, an enigmatic, mixed-race African and the supposed son of the famous explorer David Livingstone who is nicknamed “Mrs. Livingstone” for the Scottish kilt he wears. Little by little, while the war between Belgian and German colonial powers rages on and the pair hunt down the Graf Von Götzen, the young Belgian pilot learns more about the land around him from Mrs. Livingstone and discovers the irrevocable and tragic effects of colonialism on the local people. A historical fiction story of adventure and friendship against the backdrop of World War I in Africa, Madame Livingstone was originally published in France by Glénat in 2014. The graphic novel is authored by historian and comics specialist Christophe Cassiau-Haurie and Congo's unique beauty is presented in full color illustrations by beloved Congolese artist Barly Baruti.
Born in Douala, Cameroon in 1968 and raised in France, Christophe Cassiau-Haurie is a library curator and comics specialist. He is currently Director of Public Services for the National and University Library of Strasbourg, after having held several positions in Africa including time in Mauritius and five years in the DRC. He also serves as director of the comic book collection of L'Harmattan, one of the largest French book publishers. Cassiau-Haurie is the author of several articles and collective works on the state of publishing and comics in Africa. He has authored and contributed to numerous graphic novels in French, most of which are based on African histories. He did his postgraduate studies in African Studies and Public Law.
