Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

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

82 reviews

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

bluenarcissa's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

ashleycmms's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Medical content and Sexual violence

ingabbjarna's review against another edition

emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Police brutality, and Murder

noahsingh's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Misogyny, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, and Gun violence

Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Stalking, Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Addiction, Animal death, Medical content, Confinement, Classism, Rape, and Kidnapping

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

theotterside's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gun violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

filipa_maia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

I'm such a huge fan of Trevor Noah and this book was on my TBR list for so long... I was really excited about this read. I'm usually not a fan of autobiographies (biographies in general) but I could not pass this one.

I really enjoyed this book. Is so effortlessly written, almost like a conversation.  The story goes back and forth with such grace and detail that the reader feels like its actually a one-on-one talk with Trevor.

Trevor as a very unique way of describing whats around him. Its a very funny, but serious way of telling us what was like to born and live being someone who does not belong. But this book is so much more that just a story about Trevor's life. Is all about a time period that changed an entire country and its people forever. Its very interesting the way this book describes such dark times through the eyes of a child and, later, with the proper interpretation of an adult. More than 30 years after the end of apartheid people still live surrounded by its "ghost"... its not there anymore but its presence is still felt.

Everyone, no matter what your race is, your age, where you are from, should read this book. We all should learn what happened during (and after) apartheid, because when we forget the past we are bound to repeat the same mistakes.

P.S.: I believe there is a quote very similar to this by a philosopher, but this is a saying that I really like.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Police brutality, Grief, Child abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, Sexism, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Hate crime, Gun violence, Classism, Violence, Genocide, Domestic abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Blood, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Excrement, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

itsliterarycait's review against another edition

4.0

This was a really good read. Its pretty educational and relatable (for a black-coloured-looking South African). I love how he explains some colloquial terms and how he (seemingly) effortlessly describes life as a South African. I relate so much to how he describes himself as a chameleon, being black but not black enough, looking coloured but not being coloured, speaking multiple SA languages. This book really is like a mirror being held up to my face. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Gun violence, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Excrement

Minor: Suicide attempt and Rape