Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Juliane recommends "Born A Crime" by Trevor Noah

 
This has to be one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to in a while!  I had preconceived notions of who Trevor Noah was since he slipped into hosting The Daily Show so easily – he must have been well-connected, he must have been funny his whole life, he must have had a privileged life; I was not prepared for how sobering and traumatic his early years truly were until reading this book.  Noah spins a masterful tale of growing up in South Africa during and after Apartheid.  He has a beautiful command of at least 4 different languages and a range of accents that transported me to the gritty streets of Alexandra or the lush, suburban community of Soweto.  In his first chapter he hooks you with news that “My mother was shot in the head” upping the stakes for what you are about to read and setting up the rest of the book to spill out in raw, funny, and foreboding narrative.  If you enjoy getting gut punched with unexpected trials and tribulations this is the book for you.  From music piracy to arson, stealing cars to jail, sleeping on cots to eating worms for food, and themes of poverty, racism, religion, and pop culture – this book has it all and then some.  This is a fascinating read, and I highly recommend skipping the print and going directly for the audiobook.  Recommended for adult audiences.

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