Sunaina answers “The book sounds intriguing. Is there...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood:

The book sounds intriguing. Is there anything in it that might make it inappropriate for a mainline church library that does not limit itself to books on religion?

Sunaina Wow. I just finished this book and I am "shook". Honestly, I didn't really know who Trevor Noah was before reading this book. I don't watch the Daily …moreWow. I just finished this book and I am "shook". Honestly, I didn't really know who Trevor Noah was before reading this book. I don't watch the Daily Show. I had only seen him on some horribly biased "Occupy Democrat" memes so I thought this would be some political commentary book, but it has absolutely nothing to do with politics.

It is about Noah's life growing up in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, and how his mother raised him. I learned so much about South African apartheid reading this, and it was not in a reference-book, boring, formal way. This was an amazing story and in so many ways I can relate to it too since I was raised by parents who come from third-world countries.

What I loved most about this book is how Noah and his mother are not bitter for any of their tragic circumstances. An emotional story, but it is laced with humor and gratitude for life. It speaks about injustice in South Africa, but never with bitterness. It's real and brutal at points, but to me it is a story of the triumph of the human spirit.

I definitely, definitely recommend this book. (less)

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