Born a Crime

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, 288 pages

In this wonderful memoir, comedian and Daily Show host Trevor Noah recounts his experiences growing up in South Africa. The son of a black woman and a white man, Noah was literally a crime when he was born during Apartheid, and spent his early years seeing his father only in private and walking a distance from his mother as they went about their daily business in public. Because of race, Noah never fit easily into any groups, something that is touched on throughout the stories of his youth and teen years.

This was a fascinating look at young life in Apartheid and its aftermath, with wonderful insights into the many cultures of South Africa. I listened to the audiobook, which was read by Noah, and it was particularly fantastic, given his ability with languages and accents. Highly recommended.