Review — “Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood” by Trevor Noah
This was the first book off the shelf in my increased “anti-racist” reading efforts. Noah’s essay collection on his life in South Africa is…delightful? Is that the right word? The book and its audio counterpart came highly recommended. In fact, I enjoyed reading it so much that I plan to download and listen to the audiobook, narrated by Noah himself.
“Growing up the way I did, I learned how easy it is for white people to get comfortable with a system that awards them all these perks. I knew my cousins were getting beaten for things I’d done, but I wasn’t interested in changing my grandmother’s perspective, because that would mean I’d get beaten, too.”
Trevor Noah was, as the title indicates, born as the result of criminal activity under apartheid. His mother wanted a child but was not married. She found a man and planned to have a child with him — though he was Swiss and white. That didn’t stop Patricia Noah, an independent force of will in every endeavor of her life. While Trevor’s father was ‘around’ for most of his childhood, he could never call him dad nor admit their relationship in public.
Noah describes how his appearance affected everything in his life, from the classes he was put in at school to the things he could get away with in public. He explains…
