Trevor Noah manages to relay warm and fuzzy feelings to the reader while discussing one of the largest civil rights atrocities of the world, Apartheid. While explaining the origins of the strategic racial suppression of Africans in what is now known today as South Africa, better known as Apartheid, Noah parallels touching stories of the relationship he shared with his mother, father and his first love -a small dog named Fufi.
Born under this rule of law to an African mother and a father from Switzerland, Noah was essentially, as the title appropriate describes, Born A Crime. It was forbidden for Races to "mix" however Trevor's mother, as she so often does throughout this book, defies the illogical and inhumane rule and follows her heart. She desires a child, someone to love unconditionally, so she plans an independent pregnancy and life with a child conceived by a forbidden love.
This book is funny, informative and immersive. Mama Noah is a hero with wisdom beyond her years. Her religious grounding served as an anchor as she raises Noah to navigate a world that rejects him. When stripped down to bare bones, this book is an ode to Noah's mother, not really an memoir about him. He affectionately praises his mother's love and direction through their, at times, tremulousness relationship during each stage of his life. In early chapters Noah precedes a small insight to the ill fate of his mother being shot in the back of the head by his step-dad. With this, the reader saviors the stories of his child- and young adulthood, only in a futile effort to stall the details of the daunting moment when he shares the full story.
Spoiler Alert: She survives!
I promise you will laugh out loud at least once while reading this book. Every person inclusive of the African diaspora will relate to attending "Black Church" and "White Church". And as Noah so eloquently put it during his monologue about shitting - yes, shitting-, we all can relate to stories about shit -well because "we all shit. Beyonce shits, the Pope shits...I think God made humans shit the way that they do because it keeps us all humble. No matter how successful you are, you shit."
I have one thing to say to Mr. Noah: Job well done Sir. Your talent is undeniable. Keep on shitting my friend.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for an unexpectedly delightful, fun, read -especially as we near Mother's Day weekend. See below for a few (there were many) of my favorite quotes from this work (in no particular order). I am looking forward to hearing what you all think!
As always, when you are finished reading, connect with me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to let me know your thoughts, questions and/or comments. I love hearing from you all!
What book would you recommend I read next?
xoxoxoxoxox -Happy reading my friends,
RTOR
"A knowledgeable man is a free man, or a man that thirsts for freedom."
"Even if he never leaves the ghetto, he will know that the ghetto is not the world."
"If you think too much about [whopping] that Mom gave you, or [the one] that life gave you, you'll be too afraid to push the boundaries."
"You do not own the think that you love..."
"Relationships are built in the silences."
"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, reject is an answer, regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to...What if?"