Peter Godwin, in his aptly named memoir, reveals the hidden yet debilitating wounds that come from many "exits" in his life, including his marriage and his mother's death.Like a kaleidoscope that takes individual shards of color and creates something greater than its parts, the author skillfully writes each piece of his story and then, through the sensibilities of an artist, places them into the larger narrative which encompasses wounds of childhood and war. Reality and the past coincide. The end result is that the unfulfilled needs,the undefined pain,the unanticipated endings, and the exit wounds of this life are made into something hauntingly beautiful.
Godwin's arrangement of events and his inclusion of carefully selected details, plus the addition of interesting factual information related to the narrative, sets this memoir apart. Godwin is honest without descending into cheap emotional manipulations. His characters are vivid and interesting. There were a few times I found expletives unnecessary and dissonant. Overall, when I finished the book, I was amazed by the writer's talent and his achievement in writing this memoir.

5💫

As someone who doesn’t read memoirs, I personally really enjoyed reading this. Again another book that’s a break from my go to genres. On top of the inner dialogue that Peter has when expressing his experiences. The process of thought is similar to mine when I think back onto memories and such. This is the first memoir I’ve read in ages. This book might not be a 5 star for everyone, but for me it is. I personally loved how he guides you through the book as he experiences love, loss, and occasional wars.

Courageous, and touching, I enjoyed this memoir and the author's ongoing efforts to make sense of the past.

Godwin is a fine writer and the beauty of his prose (albeit a bit purple at times) redeems an otherwise repetitive story. He trods the same ground of dislocation and grief over and over, and not much new is revealed. I think there's also an implicit assumption that the reader of this book would have read his previous work because much is left unanswered: why exactly did he fight on the wrong side of the Rhodesian war? How does he grapple with his family's legacy of white settler colonialism in Zimbabwe?
Far too little reflection on especially the latter question.

Still, the book is worth reading for Godwin's skill in recreating characters and scenes, as well as his journalistic ability to weave together research with narrative.

A thoughtful look at love and loss. Loss of family, loss of country both figure in Godwin's memoir. The writing is clear, the thinking strong. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will resonate with many readers.