Book Review: Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah-Memoir

 Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.

Title: Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Trevor Noah

Publisher: One World
Publication Date: February 12, 2019

Language: English

Paperback: 304 pages
Meet the Author: Trevor Noah
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime story of one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed

NAMED ONE OF PASTE’S BEST MEMOIRS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Michiko Kakutani, New York Times • USA Today • San Francisco Chronicle • NPR • Esquire • Newsday • Booklist

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother’s unconventional, unconditional love.

My Thoughts

I truly believe Trevor Noah is one of the funniest people out there. 

His life story, oh my God. It is hard to believe how he can share it in such a funny way, even though is not the prettiest. And his mom, I think she is such a strong woman.

This book was superb. I am thinking I will re-read it, but I will listen to the audiobook instead.

I loved every page of this book, however, I have to say, my favorite part is when Noah talks about how language, how he saw her mother using language, in her case english, to cross barriers, and to move around the world, not that race didn't matter but in their country, knowing another language could mean freedom in so many ways. 

Trevor shares stories from his childhood, in a very dramatic but funny way, always highlighting a lesson learned. Religion, racism, family relationships, how he grows up, and goes through life defying obstacles. Also, for those of us who were not that familiar or had the understanding on South Africa during the Apartheid, this was an excellent book to learn from it.

I totally recommend this book. It is one of the best memoirs I have ever read.

Wendy