Born a Crime

Great book and perfect narration

I don't review a lot of books anymore, but this one got to me. There are lots of books written by people -- including me -- who had a hard time growing up. Abusive parents, poverty, oppression. War. There is a lot of awful stuff children endure.

Trevor Noah endured all of it. Name something bad that a kid can experience and it probably happened to him. Born under apartheid, his existence was illegal. His birth was, as the title of his book suggests, a crime.

As the child of a white father and a black mother under South Africa during apartheid, if he had been noticed by the authorities, they would have taken him from his family and put him ... somewhere. So merely surviving until the end of apartheid was no mean feat. Add to that extreme poverty, violence and life under the most oppressive, racist regime you can imagine. Actually, you may not be able to imagine it. I knew it was bad, but South Africa refined oppression into an art form.

One of the other noteworthy things about this book was that I learned great deal about things I thought I already knew. I don't know if Noah intended it as a cautionary tale, but it is. Chilling.

I didn't read the book. I listened to the audiobook because Noah reads it himself. He has a beautiful, melodic voice and a lovely cadence. It was a treat for my ears and my brain.

You might think with all of this terrible stuff -- and some of it is really horrific -- that this would be an angry, possibly embittered man. But he isn't.

He's funny when humor is possible. Even when he's serious, there is grace and wit -- plus a sweetness and generosity of spirit that's rather uplifting. I don't think I've ever said that about a book. It's not a word I use lightly. Trevor Noah is a rare person, able to appreciate the good stuff in his life and not obsess over the considerable amount of injustice he has experienced.

I'm not usually a big fan of celebrity memoirs or autobiographies, but this is exceptional. If you have the patience, listen to it as an audiobook. Otherwise, consider reading it. He's a smart guy, a good writer, and an astute observer of humanity, government, politics, and relationships. Insightful, witty, and entertaining, I highly recommend it.

759 of 843 people found this review helpful

Wow

The narration is exemplary. He is a chameleon and his command of language gives the narrative so much texture.

The breadth and variety of sound is staggering. The are so many characters each with there own voice and language. It is a tour de force of story telling.

The story, in and of itself, is history, humor, and horror and at the end you will be uplifted.

Wow. Just Wow.

316 of 386 people found this review helpful

And now I wait...

Wonderful and engaging story, an eloquent and fluent reading by the author (I've loved hearing Trevor Noah speak since the first time I saw him on television), and very educational at the same time. However, I really want to know the story of how he ended up in America as the host of The Daily Show. He touches on the beginnings of his entertainment career in this book, but the main story is, as the title suggests, focused in his early life - from birth until early adulthood.... so I'm waiting Mr. Noah!!! I'm waiting for more of your seamlessly enchanting story telling!!! 😬

171 of 214 people found this review helpful

Best book this year

Yes, I said it. The best book this year. Funny, poignant, historical, happy, and perfect. Yes, it is the story of Trevor, but it is so much more. It is the story of a place and a time that while I thought I understood, I didn't. It's just amazing that this is the story of a YOUNG man. How can this all have happened such a short time ago? Told with such wit and interest this is really the story of a woman who made her own way and taught her child to do the same. So enjoyable. The perfect book.

139 of 177 people found this review helpful

Fascinating, tragic, and charming

As a Trevor Noah fan I had high expectations of this book. I expected it to be intelligently funny and charming. I didn't expect it to captivate me in the way it did. His true understanding of human nature shines through as he tells his tragic story.

99 of 133 people found this review helpful

Absolutely great

My kids (12 and 15), my husband and I listened on both legs of a 6 hour round trip and there was not a single request to turn it off or switch to pop music or hard rock! That's pretty extraordinary for my family of diverse tastes. We were entertained and given an amazing glimpse into a world we know nothing about. Lots to think about. Highly recommended.

42 of 57 people found this review helpful

Trevor Noah's life in the Apartheid

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would highly recommend this book. Touching, funny, educative. I could not stop listening...

What was one of the most memorable moments of Born a Crime?

The moment where the family had to expel the bad demon from the house because of little Trevor's "misbehavior"! (I do not want to spoil anything but I was cracking up!)
Also, the part where he rolled off the bus was very memorable for me as well!

Have you listened to any of Trevor Noah’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I do not think this book would have the impact it did if Trevor Noah did not narrate it. I have watched him on the Daily Show and this is a remarkable performance. No doubt in my mind that nobody could have done a better job than him

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, absolutely and I did!

Any additional comments?

This biography has been educative, touching, extremely funny. I always liked Trevor Noah because of the Daily Show but I would not consider myself to be too much of a fan. Well, after this book, I think I know about his life enough to respect him as a person for what he went through and as a performer of how he delivered this book. Long story short, Trevor Noah just gained a faithful fan!

75 of 107 people found this review helpful

So much more than an autobiography!

I've been listening to this every minute I could since it came out. This is an incredible autobiography, and you will get your Trevor Noah laughs. But moreover, it's a brilliant lesson on the realities of apartheid, poverty, misogyny, domestic abuse, and more. I guarantee you will have numerous moments of pausing to digest some truly incredible insights, especially if you're privileged in your culture (::ahem:: if you're white). Apartheid, especially, I didn't know nearly enough about. I truly appreciate the stories told even just for that.

The author manages to take into account that much of his audience will not understand the cultures he grew up around, and it feels now that I not only know the author's roots, but that I have a mental landscape of South Africa that never existed for me before.

If you know Trevor Noah's work from The Daily Show, you'll know he doesn't miss a moment to reflect on the nuances, the ironies, and himself.

Very well done!!

121 of 173 people found this review helpful

NO JOKE

Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime” is no joke.

Remembering when Trevor Noah took over the “Daily Show”, thoughts of a South African replacing an American, places one in two minds. One mind thinks how could a person not born in America understand the politics and culture of a country satirized by a TV show? Another mind thinks the “Daily Show” will become more culturally relevant with a commentator that satirizes more than just American culture.

The answer to the first mind’s question is the second mind’s conclusion. Personally, it is sad to have witnessed the loss of John Stewart’s insightful American commentary. However, Noah offers a perspective that is equally insightful; admittedly cringe worthy at times, but more universal. “Born a Crime” is testament to Noah’s cultural diversity and universal insight.

Noah is a challenging son. He shows himself to be a hyperactive, non-violent, trouble-maker in his youth. He is born into poverty but raised by a mother who believes in a moral code of unshakable faith. In his youth, Noah defies most of his mother’s inner direction and strict, sometimes physically punishing, discipline. Retrospectively, Noah acknowledges how much his mother loved him, and how her fortitude presumably made him mentally tough, independent, and irreverently objective.

Noah knows what it is to be poor. Undoubtedly, Noah now knows what is like to be rich. More importantly, it seems Noah has adopted his mother’s independence and, by virtue of his life experience (some might say), has acquired a superior perception of reality. “Born a Crime” is no joke.

19 of 27 people found this review helpful

Interesting & engaging, and well performed

Typically I don't like authors reading their own books, and sometimes even excellent actors are not very good audiobook performers, but Noah hit the mark perfectly. Five stars all 'round!

I was not aware of Noah's history, other than he was South African from parents of different races, and so this story was a bit of a revelation to me. How his mother would pretend to be his nanny when out walking, so as not to draw attention to the fact that she had a mixed-race son. How he grew up speaking a wide variety of local languages, using that ability to help him socially fit in where he otherwise might not have. And so much more.

I put off getting this audiobook for a while, but I'm glad I finally got it and listened. It's wonderful!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful