Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

4.5

This book. wow. Talk about crazy childhood!!! I would place Born a Crime in that category of memoir/autobiography that is nonfiction but SERIOUSLY reads like fiction. Like, some of the scenes Noah talks about truly felt like a TV show. At times it was so hard for me to wrap my mind around (which also reveals so much of my privilege and ability to have a “normal” childhood for the most part). Told in a series of essays/short stories, Born a Crime still had a thematic arch that highlighted Noah's growth from apartheid South Africa to The Daily Show. I would recommend this to anyone/everyone! The one teensy tiny negative I felt was that Noah's tone, while obviously sarcastic and humorous, at times felt a LITTLE braggy/patronizing (kind of like, “oh yeah I knew I was destined to be famous from the first time I spoke”), although friends have been quick to point out, that this adds to the humor! But honestly after reading this book, I truly believe that Noah WAS destined for success and that the pride and ego are absolutely warranted.