When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa in Around the World in 80 Books

Mar 26, 2008 Susan rated it really liked it

Excellent source of info on what goes on behind the political repression in Zimbabwe, written by a journalist raised there and going back to visit his elderly parents still living there. The day to day harassments, roadblocks, food shortages,farm takeovers, etc., all due to Robert Mugabe's hatred of white people and his distributing of wealth only to the military, who naturally support him. Especially pertinent now that he was not re-elected but is using his old tactics to hold on to power - all ...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Katie rated it liked it

Shelves: male-author, history, non-fiction, ___africa, memoirs

Peter Godwin, the author of When A Crocodile Eats the Sun, is a white Zimbabwean who was raised in Zimbabwe by parents who had moved there from Europe. The book tells about Godwin’s travels from his current home in Manhattan to visit his parents in Zimbabwe the late 1990s and early 2000s. As a journalist, he has the opportunity to cover regional stories, so is able to travel frequently to the area. The book deals with both the personal and the political.

At this time in Zimbabwe, massive land re Peter Godwin, the author of When A Crocodile Eats the Sun, is a white Zimbabwean who was raised in Zimbabwe by parents who had moved there from Europe. The book tells about Godwin’s travels from his current home in Manhattan to visit his parents in Zimbabwe the late 1990s and early 2000s. As a journalist, he has the opportunity to cover regional stories, so is able to travel frequently to the area. The book deals with both the personal and the political.

At this time in Zimbabwe, massive land redistribution is underway, with the regime forcibly taking land from white farmers and redistributing it to black Zimbabweans. Godwin spends a lot of time interviewing these farmers and learning of the situation. I found his portrayal of the situation to be very one-sided, sympathizing with the white farmers, while not acknowledging that there were some lasting problems created by colonialism that needed to be addressed. I don’t know a lot about this land redistribution, but I imagine the situation has to be much more complicated than Godwin portrays it to be. Yes, these farms were a major part of Zimbabwe’s economy and provided employment for many people, and it doesn’t seem right to remove farmers from their land when their farms are in full production and economically viable. It also doesn’t seem right that 70% of farmland is owned by the 5% white minority. Yes, Mugabe’s rule is horrible and oppressive, and the way land distribution was done didn’t work and wasn't fair, but Godwin’s perspective seemed to have a tone of longing for the good old days of white rule and the privileges he enjoyed in his childhood, while ignoring the suffering that occurred in that era. I felt especially unsympathetic towards the situation when it was revealed that the land was being used to grow tobacco or to raise racehorses.

That being said, I still found the book to be engaging and informative. It was interesting to learn about what life was like for white Zimbabweans, how the spread of HIV devastated the country and its economy, and how Mugabe’s rule has affected Zimbabwe’s people. I just would have more well-rounded depiction of these events, and at times I got really angry at the one sided accounts. Because Godwin is a journalist, I think I was expecting a more balanced approach, but maybe the book was intended to be more of a memoir than a piece of journalism. ...more

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Jul 15, 2008 Heather rated it liked it

Learned a bit more about Zimbabwe's fall in recent history, but it's really more about Godwin himself than anything. ...more

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Aug 19, 2008 Kay marked it as to-read

Shelves: available-mcpl

Available MCPL

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Aug 19, 2007 Ra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, africa

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Nov 28, 2007 Alyssa Erickson rated it it was amazing

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Jan 08, 2008 Yiga marked it as to-read

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Jul 04, 2008 Janna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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Jul 09, 2010 Gaelyn marked it as to-read

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Sep 13, 2010 Erica marked it as to-read

Shelves: non-fiction

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Apr 23, 2011 Annie rated it it was amazing

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Mar 09, 2012 Deedee marked it as to-read

Shelves: title-has-5-words-or-more, w2-no-articles, w2, best-by-journalists, p3, interrogative, memoirs, world-africa, year-1993, world-africa-zimbabwe

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