Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is a memoir by British-born writer Alexandra Fuller that recounts her childhood as a white settler in southern Africa, primarily during the turbulent years of the Rhodesian Bush War and its aftermath. The book follows Fuller (nicknamed "Bobo") and her family as they move through Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Malawi, and Zambia, struggling to survive as tenant farmers amid political upheaval, war, and personal tragedy.
Alexandra Fuller was born in England in 1969 and moved to Africa with her family at age two. Her experiences growing up in rural Africa, witnessing war, loss, and cultural change, provided the foundation for her memoir. Her mother’s encouragement instilled in her a love of reading and storytelling, which became her "salvation" and ultimately led her to write the book. After marrying an American and moving to the United States, Fuller began to process and recount her African childhood, resulting in this candid and critically acclaimed memoir.
In the book, Fuller reflects on her identity as a white African, the shifting racial dynamics after independence, and her family’s interactions with African neighbors and governments.
The Fullers experience multiple devastating losses, including the deaths of three of her four siblings, including her sister Olivia, who drowned as a toddler after wandering into a pond while Alexandra, then nine, was supposed to be watching her. These deaths particularly affect their mother, who struggles with grief, alcoholism, and mental illness.
Fuller vividly depicts the dangers of living through the Rhodesian civil war, with landmines, guerrilla attacks, and the constant threat of violence. After Zimbabwean independence, the family's farm is seized, and they are forced to relocate repeatedly, facing poverty and instability.
Despite frequent trauma, the narrative is laced with dark humor and unsentimental honesty. Fuller’s prose captures both the harshness and the beauty of African life, as well as the resilience required to endure it.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight was adapted into a film by South African-born actress and filmmaker Embeth Davidtz, who made her feature directorial and screenwriting debut with the project. She also played a principal role in the film as Fuller's mother.
The film premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival and was also featured at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival as a Gala Presentation. Sony Pictures Classics acquired worldwide distribution rights, with the film scheduled for broader release in July 2025.