Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

I’d give this book a 10/5 if I could. It was an absolute delight to listen to, funny and deep. It’s incredible to hear Trevor Noah’s stories with different accents and the way he gives life to the characters of his upbringing is really fun. This book is also, without pretending to or maybe even without aspiring to be, one of the strongest cases for anti-racism and feminism I’ve read. An absolute must-read!

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lettyleaf's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative inspiring sad fast-paced

4.0

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medicatedmariah's review

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adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This one has been on my radar for a while, I just wish I had picked it up sooner. The background info surrounding the Apartheid was really interesting/important for those who lacked the background knowledge. I thought Noah's perspective on the post-Apartheid conditions/culture was eye opening and valuable to understand the lasting effects of Apartheid. The book tackled some heavy themes, while still making me laugh at times. His writing style makes it seem like a friend is telling you stories, making this a really fast and easy read that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed his reflections on growing up, and his reflections on his mom and her unconditional love were really interesting. I want to give his mom a big hug. Both thought provoking and heart wrenching, I would recommend this book to everyone.

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mandaraffe's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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pharfaite's review

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dark funny informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

Trevor Noah has led a life of both epically tragic and hilarious proportions, and this book is the perfect blend of the two. He writes with such a distinctive voice, it was as if I could hear him sharing these stories on The Daily Show as I read. Not only did this book literally make me laugh out loud, it made me think and feel deeply too. The impact of sharing his unique lived experience of apartheid and its immediate aftermath cannot be understated. And his mom is such a powerhouse. The kind of woman you would want to sit down and have dinner with to soak up her wisdom and fiery spirit. The book was definitely a tribute to her, and it is clear as day why she is so loved by her son.

My only gripe with it is that it felt a bit chaotic with the changing timeline. I would say it reads more as a series of personal essays than the usual memoir, which made some of it a touch repetitive and confusing on where exactly in his life we were at. While it is an easy and quick read, the chapters might benefit from a little space between them to find your bearings to counteract this effect instead of the ever-tempting page-turning binge. Nonetheless, I would consider it a real gem. Highly recommend.

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