Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The beginning of our story is in the Belgian Congo in 1908, when the country was attempting to rebuild itself following the brutal regime of King Leopold II. The Congo Free State was abolished and annexed as a colony of Belgium, becoming known as the Belgian Congo. #2 The hunter, unaware that he has caught HIV from the chimp he killed, makes his way back to Leopoldville, a bustling marketplace. He sells the carcasses, skins, and hides, and makes a few Belgian francs. #3 The hunter's virus was relatively easy to spread in the densely populated Leopoldville, where the ratio of men to women was high and prostitution rife. The period from infection to death could be years before it compromised the immune system of its host. #4 The chain of infection that would develop from the virus was kept alive for a decade after the events of 1908. The disease would not explode as a major outbreak for several decades, and it would require the perfect alignment of circumstances for the virus to spread rapidly.