Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight

An African Childhood

By: Alexandra Fuller

Narrated by: Lisette Lecat

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Alexandra Fuller tells the idiosyncratic story of her life growing up white in rural Rhodesia as it was becoming Zimbabwe. The daughter of hardworking, yet strikingly unconventional English-bred immigrants, Alexandra arrives in Africa at the tender age of two. She moves through life with a hardy resilience, even as a bloody war approaches. Narrator Lisette Lecat reads this remarkable memoir of a family clinging to a harsh landscape and the dying tenets of colonialism.

©2001 Alexandra Fuller (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Winner, Adult Non-Fiction, 2003

"A classic is born in this tender, intensely moving and even delightful journey through a white African girl's childhood." (Publishers Weekly)
"This was no ordinary childhood, and it makes a riveting story thanks to an extraordinary telling." (School Library Journal)
"In this powerful debut, Fuller fully succeeds in memorializing the beauty of each desert puddle and each African summer night sky while also recognizing that beauty can lie hidden in the faces of those who have crossed her path. Highly recommended." (Library Journal)
"An honest, moving portrait of one family struggling to survive tumultuous times." (Booklist)

An African Childhood of Harrowing Proportions

This story of English ex-patriots living in a variety of countries in southern Africa with their children is amazing, bizarre, gruesome, violent and filled with disease. Most surprising to me was the fact that even one of them survived. At times, the details of the food and living conditions are so nauseating and disastrous that the title of the book--Go To The Dogs--seemed redundant. By this, I mean that it would be difficult for life to deteriorate further than the story presents. One war torn, drought ridden, broken down and hungry farm after another.

Through all this runs the strong and endearing voice of the author as the child "Bo-bo". Fuller's writing pulls all the loose ends, pain and disaster together and weaves a story of growing up in Africa. This story embodies her deep and visceral love for the place, the smells, the people and the creatures that inhabit that world. At one point in the writing she refers to her life as a child as a "terrifying unhinged blur". Believe me--she captured it in this book.

The narration was fantastic. It continually drove me forward--never allowing me to even consider giving up. This was my first book narrated by Lecat--but it won't be my last. Excellent reading--that added immensely to the whole experience.

Listening prompted me to do research about this time period in Africa's history. I read about each of the countries where the family lived--trying to make some sense of the choices and the reasons behind the decisions they made. It was not until the last hour or two of listening that I understood that all this didn't matter. It wasn't a book of African history--but rather a book of a family's history.

amazing

a real story of what africa was and is now after the so called war of liberation that liberated no one

Hard to get into

Would you try another book from Alexandra Fuller and/or Lisette Lecat?

I doubt I would look for another book by Fuller. Lecat is a good narrator, but not so good that she can make a story that I didn't find compelling more so.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

There didn't seem to be a real goal in the writing of it.

Was Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight worth the listening time?

I read it for a book group and for that purpose it was, but I wouldn't have picked it up and finished it without that.

Wonderful

A wonderfully funny and heart breaking story of growing up in Africa. The author did not glamorize but shared her life without apologizes. The woman who read the book did a wonderful job of capturing the characters personalities.

History from a personal perspective

What a great story teller - and what fabulous insight and perspective into the liberation (really) of Rhodesia. What stands out for me is how the loan for the farm simply changed names in the bond holders books. The struggling farmers remained struggling farmers. I think this book has clairvoyant significance for South Africans - as we see our rich and powerful leaders getting richer greedier and more powerful whilst the informal settlements squalor and desperation of the ordinary people grows exponentially. And yet it is the poorest who enable the corruption - leaving the ordinary person no option but to flee. Perhaps why there are millions of Zimbabweans in SA. Where to from here Ms Fuller?

Credit Worthy Book

An interesting account of growing up in Africa, written with a unique voice. Definitely worth the time and credit :)

One of the best books I’ve ever read!

Beautifully written, and such a unique and interesting story. Narrator was perfect. I could (and did) listen for hours at a time. Must read!!

This is similar to my life

I was born in Papua New Guinea in early 1970's to a Papua New Guinean mother and Scottish father. I could relate to alot of the issues and some incidents in the story - the racism, the colonist attitudes, hurt parents and the richness of the country.
I got a good sense of Africa (and I havn't been there).
Really liked the story. Olivia died by accident, it wasn't anyones fault.

Simply spectacular from stem to stern.

A tale of a remarkable family in a remarkable place. The real draw is Fuller’s writing. Evocative, clear, funny, sad and brave. A masterpiece

Perfection

Lisette Lecat's delicious narration improves an already splendid book. It is rare to find such a perfect combination!