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A review by luluwoohoo
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah (audiobook narrated by Trevor Noah)
☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
▪️A powerful memoir that navigates significant topics of race, systematic oppression, domestic violence, generational trauma, family and growing up with equal parts humour and poignancy
▪️This is undeniably one of those books that was made to be read aloud, especially with Noah's talent for timing and accents to enhance the experience - the multiple languages throughout just wouldn't be the same to white ears without the vocal differentiation an audiobook gives
▪️The perfect balance of comedy and tragedy within this book is what makes it so brilliant. It could easily have chosen a side and felt either too heartbreaking or too insensitive, but the blend is what makes it feel truly authentic and a true representation of life
▪️I have always admired Noah for his ability to articulate and break down concepts on his TV show, but this book takes it to another level as we're introduced to a totally unique perspective on the apartheid in South Africa and how it impacted his very existence, as well as his life after birth
▪️This is a must read book. Such a brilliantly entertaining and informative read - no notes.
"Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.
I became a chameleon. My color didn’t change, but I could change your perception of my color. If you spoke to me in Zulu, I replied to you in Zulu. If you spoke to me in Tswana, I replied to you in Tswana. Maybe I didn’t look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you."
"I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done in life, any choice that I’ve made. But I’m consumed with regret for the things I didn’t do, the choices I didn’t make, the things I didn’t say. We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. “What if…” “If only…” “I wonder what would have…” You will never, never know, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days."
☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
▪️A powerful memoir that navigates significant topics of race, systematic oppression, domestic violence, generational trauma, family and growing up with equal parts humour and poignancy
▪️This is undeniably one of those books that was made to be read aloud, especially with Noah's talent for timing and accents to enhance the experience - the multiple languages throughout just wouldn't be the same to white ears without the vocal differentiation an audiobook gives
▪️The perfect balance of comedy and tragedy within this book is what makes it so brilliant. It could easily have chosen a side and felt either too heartbreaking or too insensitive, but the blend is what makes it feel truly authentic and a true representation of life
▪️I have always admired Noah for his ability to articulate and break down concepts on his TV show, but this book takes it to another level as we're introduced to a totally unique perspective on the apartheid in South Africa and how it impacted his very existence, as well as his life after birth
▪️This is a must read book. Such a brilliantly entertaining and informative read - no notes.
"Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.
I became a chameleon. My color didn’t change, but I could change your perception of my color. If you spoke to me in Zulu, I replied to you in Zulu. If you spoke to me in Tswana, I replied to you in Tswana. Maybe I didn’t look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you."
"I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done in life, any choice that I’ve made. But I’m consumed with regret for the things I didn’t do, the choices I didn’t make, the things I didn’t say. We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. “What if…” “If only…” “I wonder what would have…” You will never, never know, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days."