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Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Trevor Noah
November 15, 2016
Categories:Non-Fiction

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is a candid memoir by Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show. His raw and honest account of growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid era is both inspirational and heartbreaking. Born to a Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, Trevor had to hide his identity from both sides of his family in order to survive. Despite the odds Trevor emerges with insightful commentary and devilish wit, showcasing a resilient child living in a world that wasn't built for him. It's an often hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking journey of survival and self-discovery.Trevor addresses themes such as identity, racism, injustice and developing resilience. He describes the confronting racism he faced in South Africa, in particular how he was treated differently by those around him because of his mixed heritage. He speaks candidly about how his childhood affected his perspective on different cultures and how his race was a barrier to advancement. Through his often funny and sometimes sad stories, Trevor succeeds in showing us how he moved past trauma to move on with his life and to follow his dreams.Trevor also provides a unique personal perspective of the South African Apartheid regime. While recounting the personal hardships he endured, he also paints a captivating tapestry of his evolving culture. By deftly weaving together his stories, he challenges our understanding of race, class, family and identity.Overall, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is a powerful, moving and inspirational account of overcoming the odds. It offers both an individual story of a boy facing immense adversity, and a collective narrative of a nation's journey toward freedom.

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Bill Gates

December 3, 2018
Founder/Microsoft
Fortune 500 CEO
Forbes World's Most Powerful People
TIME 100: Most Influential People

As a longtime fan of The Daily Show, I loved reading this memoir about how its host honed his outsider approach to comedy over a lifetime of never quite fitting in. Born to a black South African mother and a white Swiss father in apartheid South Africa, he entered the world as a biracial child in a country where mixed race relationships were forbidden. Much of Noah’s story of growing up in South Africa is tragic. Yet, as anyone who watches his nightly monologues knows, his moving stories will often leave you laughing.

Senior Marketing Manager/HubSpot

Irina Nica (Senior Marketing Manager/HubSpot) I also pay attention to any book recommendations my friends post on Facebook. I started reading Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime after I saw Radu Marcusu, CEO of Upswing, recommending it. He swore by it that is was funny -- and it was! Until the last chapter. I remember listening to the audiobook on a train and crying my eyes out. So yeah. That happened.

Founder & CEO/Zeall.us

Lucas Morales (Founder & CEO/Zeall.us) Depending on your interest and goals, if you are like me and always looking for the trends in the big picture then I highly recommend being an active contrarian reader. Read what no one else is reading. Your goal is to think outside the box. To look at the world and ask “why hasn’t this been solved?” And that gives you a roadmap as to what opportunities may exist for your entrepreneurial efforts. So to that, here’s a snapshot, in no particular order, of what might help you push your intellectual boundaries: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty Who Gets What--And Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design by Alvin E. Roth The Political Economy of Participatory Economics by Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel The Zero Mar

CEO/Upswing

Radu Marcusu (CEO/Upswing) My favorite non-business book, by far, is Trevor Noah’s Born a crime. If you are familiar with the “The Daily Show”, than you probably know who Noah is. He is a vivid character indeed but his book is even better. To really enjoy the experience you should listen to the book. His narration is authentic, he even interprets quotes from his characters in a very theatrical way, while bubbling over with excitement and good humor. I, however, have to admit, really enjoyed the way he managed to accurately insert pieces of psychological and social observation - quite an useful exercise for anybody who has to work on a daily basis with people.

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