Plot Summary

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

Peter Godwin
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When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2007

Book Brief

Peter Godwin

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2007
Book Details
Pages

341

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Zimbabwe • 2000s

Publication Year

2007

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin is a memoir detailing the author’s frequent trips from 1996 to 2004 to visit his aging parents in Zimbabwe, capturing the nation's decline into corruption and poverty under President Robert Mugabe. Balancing personal and political narratives, Godwin uncovers a family secret that reshapes his understanding of his father's past, set against Zimbabwe's socio-political turmoil. The book contains content related to violence and systemic oppression.

Melancholic

Dark

Mysterious

Emotional

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.3

10,577 ratings

82%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Peter Godwin's When a Crocodile Eats the Sun offers a gripping memoir of Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe's rule, blending personal and political turmoil. Reviewers praise its poignant writing and nuanced portrayal of a nation's struggles. Criticisms include occasional narrative disjointedness. Overall, it's lauded for its emotional depth and insightful commentary.

Who should read this

Who Should Read When a Crocodile Eats the Sun?

Readers who relish memoirs interwoven with history and politics would enjoy When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin. Fans of Alexandra Fuller's Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and Rian Malan's My Traitor's Heart will appreciate Godwin's poignant reflections on Zimbabwe's turmoil and personal revelations.

4.3

10,577 ratings

82%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

341

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Zimbabwe • 2000s

Publication Year

2007

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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