Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

I've generally avoided memoirs, but having seen this on so many bestseller lists, I decided to give it a go, and I am very glad I did. Trevor is very skilled in incorporating lightness into very difficult topics, as well as building tension. Early on in the book we find out that something happens to his mother, so by the last chapter about her life, I was absolutely dying to find out what happened and why. An aspect I didn't enjoy is the fact that he jumps around time periods and locations so much, so it was sometimes difficult for me to follow and understand the timeline of events. The book is highly informative about the life during and immediately after apartheid, but it deals with some very very heavy stuff so make sure to read the content warnings.

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mayze's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Great autobiography, Trevor Noah is able to fit serious topics such as

abuse, attempted murder, sexual violence

as well being able to tell funny stories without derailing the tone of the book.

This book (along with 'A long Walk to Freedom') has given me a tremendous insight into (Post) Apartheid South Africa and I strongly recommend even if your not a fan of the author.

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