Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

60 reviews

clarabooksit's review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.5

This is good—not as good as the hype claims, but enjoyable. If you like Noah’s comedy and especially his delivery style, you’ll like this.

Noah is clever, nerdy and funny and this memoir showcases that. His love of South Africa, where he came from and his mother are apparent on every page, even as he’a cracking jokes about them. I especially enjoyed learning a lot about South Africa.

Where the book let me down is in its lack of emotional resonance. That and it was very obviously written for a U.S. American audience, which felt confining even if I’m a part of that audience.

Noah has lived a fascinating life full of sticky, incredible and awful moments, but his voice remains distant like the person at a party who tells wild and traumatic stories for laughs without registering how deeply personal they are. While there’s a great deal of reflection in the book, it all felt anecdotal to me. The format of the book also makes every story feel like a lesson and that didn’t quite work for me.

To be fair, that may be more of a reflection on me than the book. I did like it: it’s zippy, I learned a lot, it made me laugh and at the very end, it made me cry. But it didn’t thrill me. Would still recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Excrement, Police brutality, and Slavery

Minor: Animal cruelty and Rape

asen123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book was a masterpiece. It detailed extremely important ideas of poverty and racism and belonging. He detailed so much about his relationship with his mother and his early life. This novel is one of the best things I have read. I truely have no words. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Classism, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, and Violence

ali_k0's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.75

These fast past essays paint a vivid picture of a childhood in Apartaid and Post Apartaid South Africa. It is sad, joyful and victorious. A fascinating tale for anyone wishing to journey into nonfiction and. It 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Classism, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, and Alcoholism

kayfab's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

dalek_caan's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

I feel a bit weird reviewing an autobiography, because it is the account of someones life, so most adjectives feel a bit empty to use. But what I will say is that I'm grateful to Trevor Noah for having the courage to share these pieces of himself with the world, and I feel like I learned a lot about his home country and his family.I'm very glad I read this book and would highly recommend to other readers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Racism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Gore

skilletsnail's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Sexual violence, Racism, Child abuse, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Moderate: Classism, Genocide, Colonisation, and Blood

ladyzbyrd's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This book has so much heart! Sure, it’s written by a comedian, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s a comedic book. This was history and truth and love and trial and struggle - so, so much of everything - wrapped up in - a lot.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Cursing, Violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, and Physical abuse

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Classism, Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Bullying, Colonisation, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Confinement

Minor: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

sabrina_d_arcy's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Violence, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

Minor: Abandonment, Antisemitism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Addiction, and Excrement

eleonorehilbig's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

i would definately recommend the audiobook for this. 
the flow of the book was amazing and patricia (his mother) absolutely stole the show. 
the story is told with insight, care and compassion. 
truly amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Murder, Racism, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexism