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Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

Trevor Noah

Start date: March 1, 2017

Finish date: March 31, 2017

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: March's topic/theme is ethnicity/race. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah …more
[close] March's topic/theme is ethnicity/race. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

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What Members Thought

Nov 16, 2016 Barbara rated it really liked it

4.5 stars

Trevor Noah, a comedian and the current host of 'The Daily Show' is a very funny guy.....and I expected this memoir to be full of witty jokes. It's not. The book is about Trevor growing up in South Africa when apartheid was coming to an end. Apartheid and it's aftermath left the impoverished black population of South Africa with hard lives and few opportunities. Nevertheless, Trevor infuses his story with hope and humor.

Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah (Trevor's mother)

Adult Trevor Noah with ...more

107 likes · Like · see review

Jul 06, 2017 Shomeret added it · review of another edition

Shelves: my-reviews, memoir

I am ambivalent about this book. I am interested in Trevor Noah's liminal status under apartheid in South Africa. I was also moved by the story of his mother and Trevor's relationship with her. On the other hand, I could have done without the history of his dates as a teenager and his other more typical adolescent experiences. There is also a highly controversial chapter whose title is a spoiler for the controversy. So I'm going to use spoiler tags. (view spoiler) ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 28, 2019 Cam rated it really liked it

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist.
Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion. Trevor has a hilarious way of telling stories of his upbringing.

4 likes · Like · see review

Jul 26, 2017 Katrisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audible-owned-but-read

I am glad that I got this as an audio book because hearing Trevor Noah read it definitely added to the story. This book had me laughing out loud more than any book I've read in a long time, but is also touching as well as a no-nonsense look at the after effects of apartheid and racism. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2019 Summer rated it liked it

Shelves: book-club, audiobook, library, 2019

I read this for a local book club and it definitely prompted some great discussion. Hearing Noah read his own work was a real treat, and I was struck by how similar socioeconomic status makes us. I'm not from South Africa, but the idea of the black tax, being caught in the neighborhood and unable to escape, the need to hustle, the positive purposes of gangs, the acceptability of domestic violence, etc. were quite familiar. It's such a shift in perspective to hear someone else describe experience ...more

1 like · Like · see review