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hilarymofi's review against another edition
5.0
What an incredible revelation! I once read somewhere that comedians often come from the most humble and maybe even the most traumatic circumstances. Trevor Noah is living proof that you can be put through the ringer and yet still become an empathetic, compassionate, and funny man. He tells his remarkable story with grace and humor and self-deprecation. I love him on the daily show, and I love him even more after reading the stories from his childhood while he grew up a mixed kid during the shameful era of apartheid. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Loved, loved, loved this book.
beer_manda's review against another edition
5.0
This book is one of my favorites I’ve read(well listened to) this year! I️ highly recommend this on audible, Trevor Noah’s voice is so great! His story will make you laugh and cry all within minutes of each other!
cornelio3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
meagan_young's review against another edition
5.0
This was just as fantastic as everyone said! His narration was so fun to listen to, I would listen to Trevor read a dictionary to me. I loved the stories from his “naughty” boyhood, I smiled so many times listening to his funny and charming stories. This book is as much about his mom’s story as his, and I loved her as well. Trevor has a lot to tell you about South Africa, living in an abusive home, boyhood, and a mother’s love and he did it so well!
1000% have to read as audio
1000% have to read as audio
ndehning's review against another edition
5.0
The entire book and Noah's stories are so powerful. The beginning of Part III especially got me thinking about how history is taught around the world, but especially in the US:
"In Germany, no child finishes high school without learning about the Holocaust. Not just the facts of it but the how and the why and the gravity of it—what it means. As a result, Germans grow up appropriately aware and apologetic. British schools treat colonialism the same way, to an extent. Their children are taught the history of the Empire with a kind of disclaimer hanging over the whole thing. “Well, that was shameful, now wasn’t it?”
In South Africa, the atrocities of apartheid have never been taught that way. We weren’t taught judgment or shame. We were taught history the way it’s taught in America. In America, the history of racism is taught like this: "There was slavery and then there was Jim Crow and then there was Martin Luther King Jr. and now it’s done.” It was the same for us. “Apartheid was bad. Nelson Mandela was freed. Let’s move on.” Facts, but not many, and never the emotional or moral dimension. It was as if the teachers, many of whom were white, had been given a mandate. “Whatever you do, don’t make the kids angry.”
"In Germany, no child finishes high school without learning about the Holocaust. Not just the facts of it but the how and the why and the gravity of it—what it means. As a result, Germans grow up appropriately aware and apologetic. British schools treat colonialism the same way, to an extent. Their children are taught the history of the Empire with a kind of disclaimer hanging over the whole thing. “Well, that was shameful, now wasn’t it?”
In South Africa, the atrocities of apartheid have never been taught that way. We weren’t taught judgment or shame. We were taught history the way it’s taught in America. In America, the history of racism is taught like this: "There was slavery and then there was Jim Crow and then there was Martin Luther King Jr. and now it’s done.” It was the same for us. “Apartheid was bad. Nelson Mandela was freed. Let’s move on.” Facts, but not many, and never the emotional or moral dimension. It was as if the teachers, many of whom were white, had been given a mandate. “Whatever you do, don’t make the kids angry.”
abhishekjain's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. This book struck chords so close to my heart. It was so easy to connect to Trevor in this book because somehow we both feel the same way about our mothers.
Having seen this Daily Show and knowing how he talks, it was all the more fun to imagine him speak the words of the book.
I loved the humor. There were so many aspects of his life which felt relatable as a 90s kid.
The last chapter was heavy! And it teared me up. I think he didn't want to put any humor in there on purpose and I believe you really cannot. It was about his mom. It was serious for him.
I recommend this book to everyone to gain an insight into how discrimination can shape somebody's life. And especially when we know it is about someone who finally made it. And all credit goes to his super mom. She is the hero of the book seen through the eyes of his son. This book made me realize how ungrateful we can be sometimes on how difficult it is to raise a child and how much our parents do to shield us from the bad things around so that we grow to be strong and successful.
I had collected so many quotes from this book that are going to stay with me for a long time.
It was a gooodread!
Having seen this Daily Show and knowing how he talks, it was all the more fun to imagine him speak the words of the book.
I loved the humor. There were so many aspects of his life which felt relatable as a 90s kid.
The last chapter was heavy! And it teared me up. I think he didn't want to put any humor in there on purpose and I believe you really cannot. It was about his mom. It was serious for him.
I recommend this book to everyone to gain an insight into how discrimination can shape somebody's life. And especially when we know it is about someone who finally made it. And all credit goes to his super mom. She is the hero of the book seen through the eyes of his son. This book made me realize how ungrateful we can be sometimes on how difficult it is to raise a child and how much our parents do to shield us from the bad things around so that we grow to be strong and successful.
I had collected so many quotes from this book that are going to stay with me for a long time.
It was a gooodread!