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balberry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I accidentally picked up the young readers’ adaptation of Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime,” but hey, who am I to turn down a good book? Sure, I wish I had the full experience of the original, but the adaptation still managed to be profoundly educational and moving. Noah sprinkles in so much historical context about apartheid and South African culture throughout his childhood, which really helps paint the picture. The timeline jumps around a bit, but somehow it all comes together beautifully to build a compelling narrative. What struck me most was how the focus isn’t on Noah's rise to fame as a comedian; instead, it's about his journey to becoming a good person. The heart of the book is Noah's relationship with his mother, which is beautiful. Their love and respect for each other shine through. Themes of independence and freedom, both politically and within the family, resonate strongly throughout. I have a feeling this would be an incredible audiobook experience, especially with the emphasis on different languages and what they signify. One analogy that stuck with me was the proverb about teaching a man to fish but never giving him a fishing rod – a powerful metaphor for systemic racism. Overall, this was a beautiful read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Just maybe skip the young readers’ adaptation if you’re an adult.
amandaphill's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
drajon's review against another edition
5.0
Trevor shares parts of his life with a good mix of humor and seriousness. What he has been through and that he can still laugh show what a strong human he is.
aposthuma's review against another edition
3.0
Trevor Noah definitely has a book-worthy life. The content itself was very interesting. Unfortunately, the structure of this book didn't really make sense to me. It bounced back and forth across his childhood without clarifying much of a timeline, which was a bit confusing.
jwinchell's review against another edition
5.0
I learned so much about Trevor Noah’s life and about South Africa and apartheid. Highly recommended.
kathrynb97's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Trevor Noah is an insanely good story teller. The chapters just flew by. This book was educational and funny and something I think everyone should read.