A masterpiece of urban sociology. Zed Books are to be congratulated for making this outstanding book by Theodore Trefon and Noel Kabuyaya available to English language readers. * Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, author of The Congo from Leopold to Kabila * A fascinating dissection of Goma as told through the lives of its citizens. It reminded me why I passionately fell in love with this town. * Kris Berwouts, author of Congo's Violent Peace * News from the DRC is often so bleak, outsiders wonder how ordinary folk survive. The answer lies in these testimonies. Trefon and Kabuyaya's protagonists negotiate militiamen, lava flows and cholera outbreaks with humour, determination and remarkable grace. * Michela Wrong, author of In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz: Living on the brink in Mobutu's Congo * One can only respect these life stories, which resonate like gunfire and silent screams with Congolese readers. They come closer to revealing the true state of the DRC than most theoretical accounts. * Patience Kabamba, author of From Charity to Parity * Trefon and Kabuyaya's superb research and clear-headed writing takes us into the everyday lives of Goma's residents. In addition to hardship and resilience, it is by revealing the normalcy of their lives, and our shared humanity, that the book helps us connect with its protagonists. * Pierre Englebert, Pomona College * In this moving and inspiring book, Trefon and Kabuyaya finally give voice to the ordinary people of eastern Congo. Reading these stories transported me back to Goma. * Severine Autesserre, author of Peaceland and The Trouble With the Congo *