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shelleydavis's review against another edition
5.0
f you don’t know who Trevor Noah is then you’ve clearly been living under a rock. I won’t ruin it for you by telling you who he is – go put his name in YouTube and get ready to laugh – you’re welcome. In Born a Crime, Noah takes us on a journey through post-apartheid South Africa and the early years of his life – from almost being kidnapped, to spending time in jail up to dealing with a traumatic accident with his mother. While this may seem like a horrific childhood, Noah keeps you laughing throughout his tales. While I studied South African apartheid in college and have a pretty good understanding of the system, he does an excellent job explaining the intricacies of the racial divide in the South Africa for those who may be unfamiliar. If I was a college professor this would definitely be mandatory reading for my students.
boyfouronetwo's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book very much. It made me want to learn more about South African history. My only complaint about this book is it’s cadence. He kept shifting back and forth between different times of his life, and the ending was a bit abrupt. Good book though, and he narrates the story very well if you’re into audio books.
hilary_weckstein's review against another edition
4.0
Normally I prefer reading but I recommend listening to this one. The story comes alive so much more in his voice and with his comedic timing.
terrym10's review against another edition
4.0
I have never seen Trevor Noah except for in an episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. I can tell you that you do not need to know who he is to enjoy this book. Interestingly, it doesn’t go into him becoming a comedian at all, which gives me hope that he’ll write an additional memoir down the road. I hope so, I’m looking forward to it!
katpower69's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
BOOK RIOT READ HARDER CHALLENGE 2018 - fulfills #12: A celebrity memoir
This was the February pick for my book club. I enjoyed reading about Trevor Noah's experiences growing up in South Africa. It was also interesting to me that I read this one right after I finished Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers, which was about individuals living in poverty in the slums of Mumbai, India. There is a lot to compare and contrast between these two books. Both tell of a segment of society living in poverty where there are frequent activities outside or just outside the law. As expected, there were definitely more issues of race brought up in Born a Crime. Noah was born from a black mother and a white father before the end of apartheid and though he would've been classified as "colored" by the apartheid system, he didn't feel as if that was where he naturally fit.
This was the February pick for my book club. I enjoyed reading about Trevor Noah's experiences growing up in South Africa. It was also interesting to me that I read this one right after I finished Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers, which was about individuals living in poverty in the slums of Mumbai, India. There is a lot to compare and contrast between these two books. Both tell of a segment of society living in poverty where there are frequent activities outside or just outside the law. As expected, there were definitely more issues of race brought up in Born a Crime. Noah was born from a black mother and a white father before the end of apartheid and though he would've been classified as "colored" by the apartheid system, he didn't feel as if that was where he naturally fit.
caliseales's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5