Reviews tagging 'Racism'

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

354 reviews

mels_'s review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Physical abuse

pran's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, and Violence

pomoevareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Trevor Noah’s voice came shining through in this book of essays about his life growing up in South Africa as a mixed race child. It is clear from this book that Trevor Noah became the intelligent, thoughtful and the critical thinker he is, in large part due to his mother and her careful way she imbued Trevor with reason and love. 

Growing up in the waning years of apartheid, Trevor was isolated from society because his mother was a black Xhosa woman and his father was a white Swiss German man. At the time it was illegal for races to mix. With the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid and the beginning of democracy, Noah still struggled to find where he belonged. He was a child with an unruly Afro and pale skin. He identified as black but was seen as other. 

At many points Noah’s sense of humour burns through the instances of racism, abuse, and poverty he experienced. He tells stories of being a bit of a grifter and a troublemaker with an innocence of someone who doesn’t want to hurt others. He shares what it was like having an abusive step father and moving between times of leanness and poverty. 

Told together, the stories make up a memoir of sorts for the period of Noah’s life up until the time he is beginning to really get noticed for his comedic talent.

Overall, this book of stories feels genuine and honest. I have been a fan of Trevor Noah’s comedy and see him as a modest, smart thinker who has surpassed the life of many who have had more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Misogyny, Medical content, and Animal cruelty

taibreakfast's review against another edition

funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Somehow manages to be massively funny and easy to read while delving into serious topics with incredible clarity and insight. Highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Alcoholism, and Gun violence

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Blood, Animal cruelty, and Bullying

voicenextdoor's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Racism, and Medical content

Moderate: Police brutality, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Classism, and Animal cruelty

ethrbo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Excrement

maggiemagrath's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

5.0

Not a fan of memoirs but this was way better than I expected. Funny, sad, at times violent. Informed me about growing up in the townships of South Africa with a sprinkling of local history too. Recommended. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Racism

mandala_e's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

miggyfool's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Racism, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Blood, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Misogyny

charley0796's review against another edition

dark lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

An engaging and honest autobiography about growing up as apartheid broke and the aftermath of years of oppression.
I knew nothing about Trevor Noah before reading this, and quickly learnt he is a comedian which comes across in his writing, even when talking about dark topics like crime and domestic violence.

My one critique was that it was written in a jumbled order and not chronologically, which made it hard to follow at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism