I'm not quite sure why I loved River Town so much. Other people might not get the same out of it as I did. But he's a very good writer and I enjoyed his interactions with his students (he was an English teacher).

King Leopold's Ghost was a bit horrific really. Even if you believe in the concept of "enlightened imperialism" you won't find it there. But it's a great story. I read The Unquiet Ghost for a Soviet history class. I wouldn't recommend it as much as King Leopold's Ghost, but if you're interested in the topic its quite good.