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When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

A Memoir of Africa

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When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

By: Peter Godwin
Narrated by: Peter Godwin
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About this listen

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 downward 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.

©2006 Peter Godwin (P)2007 Recorded Books
Africa Cultural & Regional Memoir
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I thoroughly enjoyed the reading, the story and the heart that flows through this book.

Gripping story and beautifully told.

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like all of Peters work, it provides a heart warming and wrenching reminder of home

beautifully sad story masterfully narrated

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Now I really want to visit Zimbabwe. I hope it’s improved since this book was written

Amazing story that allows you to realise your life is not that hard.

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I am also a child of Africa now living abroad and this book brought back so many memories. Beautifully written and extra special that it is narrated by the author.

A Captivating Listen

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Peter Godwins memoirs are always fascinating, this time tracking the decline of Zimbabwe under Mugabe.

A great listen

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