Although White Malice is framed far too expansively, it overflows with fascinating information, original research, and bold ideas ... Williams relies heavily on archival research in her work, and she deploys primary sources to powerful effect when describing Lumumba's rise, his rule, and the war that led to his fall ... [White Malice's] final chapters rove between countries and topics, sometimes sliding into conjectures about other un-provable CIA misdeeds. It is unfortunate that Williams lets herself get distracted in this way, and more unfortunate still that her desire to write a book applicable to all of Africa's post-colonial history overshadows her excellent, infuriating work on the CIA and Patrice Lumumba. Were this a narrower book, it would be a better one by far.
Though not well known to lay readers, this history comes vividly to life in the capable hands of Williams ... Through interviews and meticulous archival research, Williams exposes the extent of CIA agents’ involvement, both American and African, delivering a consistently authoritative and astute narrative ... Rigorous reporting reveals 'America’s role in the deliberate violation of democracy' in newly independent African nations.
