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

5.0

I have read a few comedians' memoirs, and have generally found them to be not my cup of tea. A few people recommended this book to me, however, so I decided to give it a go.

And I'm glad I did.

It's a striking story of growing up during and after apartheid in South Africa, of being a awkward teenager, and of being an abuse survivor. His relationship to his mother is the anchor of the story.

I was pleasantly surprised that he barely reflects on his current life, this is a childhood memoir. No name dropping or inside industry humor. I was impressed to find this story was a cohesive journey, with an ending that delivers a satisfactory completion (though I could have had more time and reflection here).