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Trade Paperback
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9780399588198
Overview
Overview
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime story of one man's coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Michiko Kakutani, New York Times - USA Today - San Francisco Chronicle - NPR - Esquire - Newsday - Booklist Trevor Noah's unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. 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 was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa's tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. 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. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother--his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother's unconventional, unconditional love. Praise for Born a Crime " A] compelling new memoir . . . By turns alarming, sad and funny, Trevor Noah's] book provides a harrowing look, through the prism of Mr. Noah's family, at life in South Africa under apartheid. . . . Born a Crime is not just an unnerving account of growing up in South Africa under apartheid, but a love letter to the author's remarkable mother."--Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times " An] unforgettable memoir."--Parade
"What makes Born a Crime such a soul-nourishing pleasure, even with all its darker edges and perilous turns, is reading Noah recount in brisk, warmly conversational prose how he learned to negotiate his way through the bullying and ostracism. . . . What also helped was having a mother like Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah. . . . Consider Born a Crime another such gift to her--and an enormous gift to the rest of us."--USA Today " Noah] thrives with the help of his astonishingly fearless mother. . . . Their fierce bond makes this story soar."--People
"What makes Born a Crime such a soul-nourishing pleasure, even with all its darker edges and perilous turns, is reading Noah recount in brisk, warmly conversational prose how he learned to negotiate his way through the bullying and ostracism. . . . What also helped was having a mother like Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah. . . . Consider Born a Crime another such gift to her--and an enormous gift to the rest of us."--USA Today " Noah] thrives with the help of his astonishingly fearless mother. . . . Their fierce bond makes this story soar."--People
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Noah, Trevor
- ISBN: 9780399588198
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 9.15 x 0.66
- Number Of Pages: 304
- Publication Year: 2019
Customer Reviews
Rating Snapshot
5 ★
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23 Ratings
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A Humorous Look at a Childhood Under Apartheid
Kristal L. - 4 years 3 months agoTrevor Noah's memoir is less a self-aggrandizing tell-all and more of a love letter to the family who raised him - most importantly, to his mother, who became a criminal under apartheid just by giving birth to him, and who raised him to think for himself and forge his own path. Noah's book talks frankly about the challenges of growing up mixed-race in South Africa, but while he does educate the reader throughout about the realities of apartheid, that isn't the main focus here. His relationships with his mother and friends, as well as his antagonistic step-father, are the turning points on which he hinges the book, and are consistently the funniest and most touching stories throughout. Even if you're not a fan of the "Daily Show" with him as show-runner, I recommend giving this book a try!
HPB Staff Review -
Glad I Read This Book
Jackie M. - 4 years 10 months agoAmazing story of resilience! Learned so much about the racial/cultural history of South Africa.
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Horrifying-Hilarious-Heartbreaking
Becky B. - 4 years 11 months agoThis book is a modern tale of survival. In his very eloquent style, Trevor Noah matter-of-factly educates us about the horrors of apartheid while accompanying us through the journey of his youth in South Africa. It’s an amazing story. Despite near-endless obstacles and frustrations, he moves from surviving to thriving. And he is funny. So. Darn. Funny. I highly recommend this book, as one that will both enlighten and entertain.
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Great Book
Kenny B. - 5 years 6 months agoGreat book! It really helps you see what it was like growing up in Apartheid. Tells the story of a hilarious comedian who runs the Daily Show. #SpringPicks
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Gripping memoir!
abby R. - 6 years 1 month agoA remarkable memoir of growing up during apartheid and its aftermath, as a mixed-race child when it wasn't permitted by law. Trevor tells his story of growing up in South Africa amidst poverty and crime, how it motivated him & his mother to seek a better life for themselves. There's some painful moments that shaped Trevor as a person & also the course of his life. A must read for everyone, especially Trevor Noah fans! #RequiredReading