When a Crocodile Eats the Sun
Encyclopedia
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun is an acclaimed 2006 book of memoirs by Peter Godwin
. It is a continuation to Godwin's highly-successful earlier memoirs, Mukiwa. The book was published by Picador
.
follows the escalating political change in his home country as bloody land invasions and corruption engulfs the country. He visits besieged white farmers and the families of those murdered. The book concentrates on conflicts between the MDC and Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and on family dynamics. His family's connections to the situation in Zimbabwe are thoroughly explored. In particular with the revelation that his father was a Polish Jew fleeing the Warsaw ghetto
.
"His book is heartfelt, absorbing and profoundly moving." Ian Critchley, The Sunday Times
"Heartbreaking ...Godwin plainly loves Africa, and he captures the baffling wayward contradictions of its people, their cruelties and unexpected kindnesses, their nobility of spirit in the face of appalling conditions, with humour and grace" Daily Mail
"haunting and beautifully written.. He has written a powerful and deeply affecting book about a family trying to ride the tsunami of change." Michiko Kakutani, New York Times
"Peter Godwin, an acclaimed Zimbabwean journalist now living in Manhattan, masterfully weaves the political and the highly personal. An eyewitness account of that cataclysmic time, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun is also a tribute to Godwin's aging parents and a searing exploration of the author's own soul." Wendy Kann, The Washington Post
Peter Godwin
Peter Godwin is a former policeman, lawyer and journalist. He is of English and Polish Jewish ancestry.-Early life and education:...
. It is a continuation to Godwin's highly-successful earlier memoirs, Mukiwa. The book was published by Picador
Picador
A picador is one of the pair of horsemen in a Spanish bullfight that jab the bull with a lance. They perform in the tercio de varas which is the first of the three stages in a Spanish bullfight.The picador has three main functions:...
.
Content
Godwin, a White ZimbabweanWhites in Zimbabwe
White Zimbabweans are people from the southern African country Zimbabwe who identify themselves as white...
follows the escalating political change in his home country as bloody land invasions and corruption engulfs the country. He visits besieged white farmers and the families of those murdered. The book concentrates on conflicts between the MDC and Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and on family dynamics. His family's connections to the situation in Zimbabwe are thoroughly explored. In particular with the revelation that his father was a Polish Jew fleeing the Warsaw ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
.
Reception
"Tender, frustrated, unsentimental - this potent memoir holds little joy for Zimbabwe but is fiercely proud of its subjects' unyielding integrity." James Urquhart, The IndependentThe 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 book is heartfelt, absorbing and profoundly moving." Ian Critchley, 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...
"Heartbreaking ...Godwin plainly loves Africa, and he captures the baffling wayward contradictions of its people, their cruelties and unexpected kindnesses, their nobility of spirit in the face of appalling conditions, with humour and grace" 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...
"haunting and beautifully written.. He has written a powerful and deeply affecting book about a family trying to ride the tsunami of change." Michiko Kakutani, New York Times
"Peter Godwin, an acclaimed Zimbabwean journalist now living in Manhattan, masterfully weaves the political and the highly personal. An eyewitness account of that cataclysmic time, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun is also a tribute to Godwin's aging parents and a searing exploration of the author's own soul." Wendy Kann, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...