Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
Ratings617
Average rating4.6
I picked up this book after my company hired him to do an interview with our CEO, and I was struck by his charisma. His charm comes through in the book, making it an easy read, but he also deals with South Africa's dark history of racism in a refreshingly blunt way.
Beyond the impact of racism, there's also the huge personal cost of not fitting in with any particular group. He's not Black (though he identifies himself as such), he's not white, and that's hard enough. But there's also the colored people who are the result of race-mixing long ago, before it was illegal. He doesn't fit in with them either, even though he looks like them.
4.5-5⭐
Probably would have been 4.5 ⭐ had I not listened on audible. Loved hearing it in Trevor Noah's voice. This story takes you through both hard times but also some more comedic things.
I've been a casual fan of Trevor Noah for a while, and he's always seemed a little more thoughtful than some of the other late night hosts (his answer to an audience question about racial reparations is the best short answer I've seen on the topic, and he shows his depth on Israel-Palestine as well.) This book shows his abundant empathy for people in difficult situations, as well as being heartfelt and quite funny in places. I learned a lot about apartheid, and he spends a lot of time exploring the very human situations that result from racially biased systems and poverty. You'll laugh a lot, learn a lot, and have a newfound respect for him. Highly recommended.
I didn't know about his life before listening to his memoir. What a life, what a fighter of a mom. The way he explains the apartheid and how it affects people every single day, it's amazing.
Audiobook version, audible.
At times hilarious, and at times tragic, with a great ending. Noah's performance as the reader is great - you get all the Zulu, Xhosa, and Tsonga with proper pronunciation, and his undeniable charisma shines through.
It is kind of weird that there's barely a mention of Noah's career in comedy. How did he make the leap from hustling in Alexandria? Maybe he's saving that for the next memoir.
I was also a little surprised by Noah's racial essentialism, he reifies the racial categories of the apartheid state. Maybe I'm just in a very universalist mindset at present from listening to a lot of Kmele Foster and reading Racecraft.
I might be bias in that this is the first memoir I've ever read, but this was an amazing book. Funny, heartbreaking, funny still more.
Despite the very heavy themes Noah discusses in his book there is still the humor. I laughed out loud a couple of times, but I also got teary and for a bit there, it was very tense.
The stories about his mom were the BEST PART! I had a harder time following because it wasn't chronological, but the ending made it worthwhile! Definitely the best audiobook and autobiography I've read.
I love autobiographies in audiobook format. I love it even more when the author himself is narrating it.
It's a very well written book, taking you through identity explorations in the eyes of children, teenagers, and young adults.
HUUUUUUUUUUUGE trigger warnings. Some of the worst animal cruelty I've ever come across and it's handle with very little grace or consideration for life.
At times unforgivingly brutal and at other times laugh-out-loud funny, I can honestly say this book was a journey. I have a very hard time handling animal cruelty so there were moments when I almost couldn't finish reading but the story kept me going. I had to remember that it's a different culture, and a different way of looking at life. It was an interesting glimpse into life in Africa. Trevor Noah is a great story teller and I'm really glad I listened to the audiobook because it made the experience that much more amazing.
Probably one of my favourite reads of the year! This book helped me reflect on my own experiences as a mixed-race child and gave great insight into how life is in South Africa. Super easy to read, I would recommend it to anyone who has a short attention spam (like me!).
Born A Crime is easily my favorite memoir and one of my favorite books of the year. I cried from laughing. At a book. And I felt a whole host of other emotions I swore I wasn't capable of. Trevor Noah is an excellent writer and storyteller, and I'll definitely pick up anything else he writes.
I cannot fault this book a single thing. I loved listening to Trevor Noah talk about his childhood, and family, and experiences from South Africa.
Engaging right from the start and throughout. I learned a ton, got the ride of emotions..great read. I came into this one NOT as picking up a book of a celebrity, I've honestly only seen one 10 minute Youtube of Trevor speaking seriously about racism. Definitely interested to learn more about where his story goes from where this book leaves off.
Trevor Noah's mom is the most badass person in the entire world!
Also, Trevor himself is amazing for enduring all he has throughout his life. Definitely an inspiration for a lot of people.
Easily five stars! I have trouble with audio books but this one is read by Trevor Noah himself and it is fantastic. He tells his story with such emotion and humor. There were so many times I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt and other times I was crying for what he and his mother went through. I am glad I saw this on Bookstagram and picked it up. This is one I'll be thinking of for a while and one I will definitely recommend.
LOVED this book! Although, I have to admit, I listened on audible rather than read the words. But Trevor did such a great job telling his own story! He starts out slow, and isn't great at the story telling at first. But then he gets more relaxed, and the story telling is fabulous. He gives a lot of insight into his upbringing in South Africa. I love how the stories of others are able to give one a small taste of other areas of the world.
Initial Thoughts: Despite this taking me an age to finish (I'm very slow at listening to audiobooks), this was one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to, and one of the best books I've ever read. I laughed and I cried quite a lot, but I also learnt from listening to this. It was excellent and a book I highly recommend.
“Read” (audiobook) this for a book club I recently joined with some friends and I was surprised at how much I ended up enjoying it. I like Trevor Noah but never felt inclined to learn more about him or his life. I loved his narration of the book and thought it added a lot to the overall enjoyment, so I would highly recommend listening to it as an audiobook if possible.
The book itself revolves around Trevor's youth growing up in apartheid South Africa with his African mother and the trials they faced during that era. He talks about growing up as mixed race (his father was a Swedish expat) during a time where it was illegal to be mixed and the challenges it presented to him and his family. His experience resonated with me since there were a lot of similarities in my own life growing up as an outsider in suburban Georgia being the only Indian person among a community of whites and blacks.
It's a fairly short read and worth picking up if you're looking for something that is on the lighter side but still highly informative about apartheid. I did not know much about the subject apart from apartheid existed, Nelson Mandela happened, and then it didn't. Trevor does not pull punches about the realities he faced so you really feel for his position, but he also manages to help you understand his experience through his humor so you're not feeling guilty or sorry for him throughout the book.
Amazing story, and the first audio book that really elevated the listening experience for me.
Completely blown away. This had been on my list for a long time. I was never quite ready for the typical, lighthearted book by a comic. This is not your typical humor fare.
For sure, it's funny. The Daily Show host does not disappoint with hilarious stories of growing up in South Africa. I didn't expect his delicate touch on thorny topics, thoughtful prose, nor magnetic storytelling.
If you've thought about reading this one, dive in now. And if you haven't thought about it, you really should.
This was just outstanding in its ability to describe an intolerable situation with humor, honesty and warmth, without blunting its horror. Amazing from beginning to end.