Location: Home » Wine Books » Formats » When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa

The Oenophile Network Blog & Forum Links

Wine Blog
Wine Forum

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa

enlarge

Author: Peter Godwin
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$24.99~~
Buy Used: $7.81
You Save: $17.18 (69%)

New (33) Used (34) from $7.81

Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

55 reviews
Sales Rank: 85620

Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3

ISBN: 0316158941
Dewey Decimal Number: 968.91051092
EAN: 9780316158947
ASIN: 0316158941

Publication Date: April 17, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ex-Library. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa
•	Hardcover - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa
•	Paperback - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun
•	Paperback - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun
•	Kindle Edition - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun
•	Paperback - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

Similar Items:

•	Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa
•	Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
•	Rainbow's End: A Memoir of Childhood, War and an African Farm
•	Casting with a Fragile Thread: A Story of Sisters and Africa
•	Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
After his father's heart attack in 1984, Peter Godwin began a series of pilgrimages back to Zimbabwe, the land of his birth, from Manhattan, where he now lives. On these frequent visits to check on his elderly parents, he bore witness to Zimbabwe's dramatic spiral downwards into the
jaws of violent chaos, presided over by an increasingly enraged dictator. And yet long after their comfortable lifestyle had been shattered and millions were fleeing, his parents refuse to leave, steadfast in their allegiance to the failed state that has been their adopted home for 50 years.
Then Godwin discovered a shocking family secret that helped explain their loyalty. Africa was his father's sanctuary from another identity, another world.
WHEN A CROCODILE EATS THE SUN is a stirring memoir of the disintegration of a family set against the collapse of a country. But it is also a vivid portrait of the profound strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love.

Customer Reviews: Read 50 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

a memoir with a surprising twist November 29, 2008
This memoir has it all----there is fascinating and horrifying history of the turmoil in Zimbabwe---an in depth look at an unusual b ut recognizsble family- plus a totally surprising revelation about the family background- The b ook is a " good read" and raises many questions---

5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful! November 23, 2008
This is simply one of the best books I've "read" in many, many years. I first listened to it on tape while I was painting and then ordered this copy for a friend. I would love to pass it along to any thinking person who is curious about Africa -- and why we should be concerned about events on that continent. I think the fact that Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan were denied visas to visit Zimbabwe this week should make everyone concerned about human rights in that country. Peter Godwin's story is personal and riveting -- not to be missed!

5 out of 5 stars

educational November 18, 2008
It's always easier for me to learn about an event or situation through the eyes of someone who lived it especially someone who writes as nicely as Mr. Godwin does.

5 out of 5 stars

One of the Best Books I Have Ever Read October 23, 2008
I cannot add anything to the superlative reviews already written. Peter Godwin learns his father's secret as the nation of Zimbabwe which is his family home is destroying itself from the inside out. I stayed up until 4 in the morning two nights in a row because I could not put the book down. It is one of very few books that I've read that I want to read again. This beautifully written book about ugly deserves ten stars. It is superior book that I will never forget.

5 out of 5 stars

A Thought Provoking Memoir October 23, 2008

When A Crocodile Eats The Sun is a gripping memoir detailing the account of author Peter Godwin and his experiences in Zimbabwe. Set in the time of the brutal regime of Robert Mugabe, his story is one of perseverance and reflection. When his parents refuse to leave Zimbabwe even amongst the brutality and corruption, Peter must learn to understand his parent's decision, even if it may cost them their lives.
Peter Godwin writes this memoir from a very honest perspective. Without incorporating a major bias into his writing, he has managed to craft a factual representation of what happened in Zimbabwe under President Mugabe. He brings to light a very relevant and important issue in our world today, and raises awareness about the horrors of governmental corruption and oppression. He effectively works to show how President Mugabe was a two faced president who often said one thing and did another. "And you could see that this was a man fueled by thoughts of revenge, that he was boiling with public humiliation. How could he, who had liberated his people, now be rejected?...It couldn't be his own people who had done this...it must have been other people, white people, leading them astray" (59.) Peter Godwin not only explains the situation in Zimbabwe, he takes us through the events and thought processes of the leaders to illustrate how it happened. It is a riveting account in which he masterfully weaves the story of the rise of hate against whites and the struggles of his own family, including the failing health of his father. The author struggles with staying true to his homeland and saving his fathers life. "'Dad's life's on the line here,' I say. `The time for political correctness is over. We must get him the best physician'" (18.) He shows here how he finds it difficult to understand his parent's stubborn enchantment with the ways of a third world country. Godwin writes in such a way that we can't help but find his homeland beautiful, even amidst the strife. He helps us to see the position of himself and his family, living in a country where your race could spell either life or death. His sister, Georgina, explains their parents situation well when she says, "if you put a frog in a shallow saucepan of water and heat up the water very slowly, the frog will never quite notice how hot it's getting. It won't actually jump out. Until it's too late. Until it's boiled alive." Godwin's conflicting emotions become more evident when he learns of his father's past, and his experience as a Jew in Nazi Poland. Armed with this revelation, hs attempts to make sense of his family's attachment to a place where being white could cost you your life.
Peter Godwin has created a memoir that transcends the conventional understanding of an account of one's life. He not only explains the problems among his own family, he intertwines them with the escalating violence and political corruption in Zimbabwe. He uses a very personal tone that not only highlights the injustice of the regime of Robert Mugabe, but also draws in the reader into connecting emotionally with Godwin and his family. He has written a powerful and deeply affecting book that helps us to appreciate our freedom, while at the same time painting the story of a family's struggle amidst a very dark and dangerous time in Africa.

Powered by Associate-O-Matic

Customer Service

Contact Customer Service
Ordering
Tracking Your Package
Shipping Information
Domestic Shipping Rates
International Shipping Rates
Returns
Gifts & Gift Certificates
Privacy & Security

Subcategories

•	Accessories
•	Alternative Formats
•	Audiobooks
•	Boxed Sets
•	Calendars
•	eDocs
•	Historical Reproductions
•	Large Print
•	Libros en espanol
•	Sheet Music & Scores

Untitled Document Disclaimer: This is an Amazon storefront - the products referenced on this site are manufactured and sold by parties other than the Oenophile Network. The Oenophile Network makes no representations regarding either the products or any information vendors offer about their products. Any questions, complaints, or claims regarding the products must be directed to the appropriate manufacturer or vendor, or to Amazon.com.