Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Trevor Noah
2016, 304 pages
Memoir
In Born a Crime, comedian and Daily Show host Trevor Noah offers a glimpse into his upbringing as a mixed-race child in South Africa, growing up amidst the violence and hatred of Apartheid. Humorous, insightful and unabashedly honest, Born a Crime is sure to delight Noah’s many fans – and earn him some new ones along the way.
Noah’s memoir traces the author’s childhood, adolescence and early adulthood in the impoverished slums of Soweto. As someone of mixed race, a rare and illegitimate ancestry under South African law, Noah’s very existence is a crime. Protected by his strong-willed mother, Noah nevertheless embraces both sides of his heritage while attempting to navigate family life, friendship and schooling in the face of grinding poverty. His only constant in life is his mother, who quickly becomes the driving force behind this book.
Told with a blend of self-deprecating humor and penetrating insight, Born a Crime presents both the author’s coming-of-age story and South Africa’s emergence onto the world stage in the wake of Apartheid. Equally recommended is the audio recording of this book, which Noah narrates himself.
Juliana Gallo Concord Public Library
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