Douglas Rogers (writer)
Encyclopedia
Douglas Rogers is a Zimbabwean journalist, travel writer and memoirist.
to Lyn, a lawyer and Rosalind, a drama teacher. He grew up on heavily fortified chicken and grape farms during the Rhodesian Bush War
with his three sisters. He survived a car crash when he was 11 years old, the car sped off a cliff in the Nyanga mountains
and a female passenger was killed. He attended Chancellor Junior School, Mutare Boys High and later he attended boarding school in Harare
at Prince Edward School
. He later graduated with a journalism degree from Rhodes University
in South Africa
.
After graduating he was a city reporter for a Johannesburg
newspaper and completed freelance editing assignments for Radio 702
and other media outlets. Since moving to London in 1994 he published several feature pieces in newspapers such as The Independent
. His first travel piece was published by the Sunday Telegraph
in 1997. He has written extensively for Travel + Leisure
, the Daily Telegraph, and The Guardian
.
In 2003 he moved to the United States
on a media visa sponsored by fellow Zimbabwean and Telegraph travel editor, Graham Boynton
. He currently teaches travel writing at the Gotham Writers Workshop and lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Grace, a television news producer from New Jersey
.
, a former captain of the Rhodesian rugby team who is also related to F. W. de Klerk as well as a nurse that assisted in the theatre as Christiaan Barnard
performed the world's first ever Heart transplantation
. Another resident is the brother of Abel Muzorewa
, the brief Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia
. The Sunday Times
prasied the book as it "captures the rich humanity — the friendship, bravery, stoicism and unfailing humour — of the millions of black and white Zimbabweans..". The reviewer continued to describe the book as "utterly engrossing; a vivid chronicle of the disintegration of a post-colonial nation, and the rebirth of a multiethnic African society." The Daily Telegraph reviewer felt that the memoir stands apart from its counterparts, "What distinguishes Douglas Rogers’s book from others is that there is a genuine narrative thread to his story, the characters are interesting and well observed, and the author’s humanity and integrity is consistently on display." The book has also been serialized by the Daily Mail
.
In 2010 the book won the British Guild of Travel Writers
award for Best Narrative Travel Book and was nominated for the 2011 Dolman Best Travel Book Award
.
Background
He was born and raised in Umtali, RhodesiaRhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
to Lyn, a lawyer and Rosalind, a drama teacher. He grew up on heavily fortified chicken and grape farms during the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
with his three sisters. He survived a car crash when he was 11 years old, the car sped off a cliff in the Nyanga mountains
Nyanga National Park
Nyanga National Park lies in the north of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. One of the first national parks to be declared in the country, it contains the highest land in Zimbabwe, with green hills and perennial rivers. Most of its terrain consists of rolling downland, sometimes lightly wooded, lying...
and a female passenger was killed. He attended Chancellor Junior School, Mutare Boys High and later he attended boarding school in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
at Prince Edward School
Prince Edward School
Prince Edward School is a public school for boys, both boarders and day-scholars in Harare, Zimbabwe. It provides education facilities to 1200+ boys in Forms I to VI. The school is served by a graduate staff of over 100 teachers including specialists in Computers, Music, Astronomy, Sport and...
. He later graduated with a journalism degree from Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
After graduating he was a city reporter for a Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
newspaper and completed freelance editing assignments for Radio 702
Radio 702
Radio 702, currently known as Talk Radio 702, is a commercial FM radio station based in Johannesburg, South Africa, broadcasting on FM 92.7 and FM 106 to the greater Gauteng province. The station is also webcast via its website. It claims to be Johannesburg's number one news and talk station,...
and other media outlets. Since moving to London in 1994 he published several feature pieces in newspapers such as The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. His first travel piece was published by the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
in 1997. He has written extensively for Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is put out by American Express Publishing Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company led by...
, the Daily Telegraph, and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
In 2003 he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on a media visa sponsored by fellow Zimbabwean and Telegraph travel editor, Graham Boynton
Graham Boynton
Graham Boynton is a British-born Zimbabwean journalist, travel writer and editor. He is currently the Group Travel Editor of the Telegraph Media Group.-Background:...
. He currently teaches travel writing at the Gotham Writers Workshop and lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Grace, a television news producer from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
The Last Resort
In 2009 he published a part-memoir, part-travelogue, The Last Resort. It concerns his parents struggle to stay afloat in modern-day Zimbabwe, coping with inflation and warding off land invasions. He also meets several of the short and long term tenant that have been staying in his parents holiday cottages since the tourism industry broke down. Several of the residents are evicted white farmers and include a descendant of Andries PretoriusAndries Pretorius
Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the Transvaal Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa....
, a former captain of the Rhodesian rugby team who is also related to F. W. de Klerk as well as a nurse that assisted in the theatre as Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
performed the world's first ever Heart transplantation
Heart transplantation
A heart transplant, or a cardiac transplantation, is a surgical transplant procedure performed on patients with end-stage heart failure or severe coronary artery disease. As of 2007 the most common procedure was to take a working heart from a recently deceased organ donor and implant it into the...
. Another resident is the brother of Abel Muzorewa
Abel Muzorewa
Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia from the Internal Settlement to the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979...
, the brief Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia
Zimbabwe Rhodesia
Zimbabwe Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, was an unrecognized state that existed from 1 June 1979 to 12 December 1979...
. The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
prasied the book as it "captures the rich humanity — the friendship, bravery, stoicism and unfailing humour — of the millions of black and white Zimbabweans..". The reviewer continued to describe the book as "utterly engrossing; a vivid chronicle of the disintegration of a post-colonial nation, and the rebirth of a multiethnic African society." The Daily Telegraph reviewer felt that the memoir stands apart from its counterparts, "What distinguishes Douglas Rogers’s book from others is that there is a genuine narrative thread to his story, the characters are interesting and well observed, and the author’s humanity and integrity is consistently on display." The book has also been serialized by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
.
In 2010 the book won the British Guild of Travel Writers
British Guild of Travel Writers
The British Guild of Travel Writers was formed in 1960. It is a membership organisation that admits authors whose work focuses on travel. It also includes among its membership many other professionals who generate travel-related content for print, broadcast and online media...
award for Best Narrative Travel Book and was nominated for the 2011 Dolman Best Travel Book Award
Dolman Best Travel Book Award
The Dolman Best Travel Book Award is one of the two principal annual travel book awards in Britain, and the only one that is open to all writers...
.