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Born a Crime

Stories From a South African Childhood
Mar 03, 2020Magicworld rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Hands down among the best books I've read over the last few years. Informative, entertaining and heartbreaking in equal parts, Born a Crime is a pretty impressive achievement given the youth of its author. I knew next to nothing about Trevor Noah but I appreciated his intelligent, sharp observations and his disarming honesty. I particularly enjoyed the tribute he pays to his smart, rebellious and incredibly brave mother who was the greatest driving force in his childhood. As it turned out, I also knew very little about apartheid - the way it actually worked and all the problems that sprang up after it fell, so these vivid stories from Trevor's childhood were a real eye-opener. They are full of insights about racism, religion, language, poverty, (lack of) education, the position of women in society, crime, violence, everyday survival and, ultimately, a person's identity and place in the world. Born a Crime tells a really personal and yet universal story in many respects. It's powerful, honest, funny and dark at the same time, still it never turns to despair, self-pity or hopelessness. It's a story of survival against the odds and the human ability to transcend the limits of their origin.