Peter Godwin Makes A Visit

On Monday, September 9th, the journalist and author Peter Godwin visited campus. His main purpose was to speak to Coe's first-year students. They read one of his memoirs, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun, as their summer common reading book. Godwin was born in Zimbabwe and grew up there before going to England to continue his schooling. When a Crocodile Eats the Sun focuses on Godwin when he's a bit older, the years 1998-2006 are covered. The story focuses on the unrest in Zimbabwe at the time, but also, more importantly, Godwin's father and how their relationship changes. (I won't tell you everything because I don't want to spoil the book!)

The Writing Center was also lucky enough for Godwin to make a visit for a special edition of Monday Tea. We had a good chunk of students (both centaurs and good old Coe students) to hear Godwin talk about his life, and more specifically, his writing process. Godwin was definitely a talker and always elaborated and expanded his answers. He was also funny, his British accent catching you a little off guard at first before you got use to it. Godwin stressed the importance of storytelling, and having grew up in a culture so insistent on storytelling, it becomes a part of you.

For us Writing Center consultants, oral tradition is a big deal here. A lot of what we pass down and learn is from stories we hear from upperclassmen centaurs. Dr. Bob will mention past consultants fondly and then to meet them, it's sort of crazy (but awesome). Even when I mention a consultant from a few years back, other consultants are quick to chime in with past stories of said consultant. Maybe we should start a memoir of the Writing Center, not entirely sure what it would entail, but hey, we can work on it.

So Godwin was good. Really good. Not only was it neat for him to talk to the first-years, it was also great for him to be able to spend some quality time with Writing Center consultants.

- Hailley