The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime New York Times bestseller about one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.
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 …
The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime New York Times bestseller about one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.
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 eighteen personal essays 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.
I did not expect this book to be as good as it is, and it probably works better as an audio because Noah is an excelent narrator and he is able to correctly pronounce the sentences in different languages, and even sing. You can even listen to his voice breaking up when he is reliving some bad moments. I thought the book would be more focused on how he became a celebrity, but instead it taught me a lot about the Apartheid in South Africa. He writes about his childhood in a way that gives you a pause, I often stopped to compare my life to his as we are almost the same age and yet we are universes apart. What an insightful book, if you have the time please read it.
Review of 'Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Very honest and down to earth recollection of Trevor's childhood and youth in South Africa. I fell in love with his mother and her unique character and wit. Trevor himself reading the book is great as well.
Review of 'Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Definitely living up to the high expectations I had and going well beyond them. Trevor Noah is an excellent story teller and his still young life could easily justify a long collection of books. Truly inspirational.
