Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

Synopsis: In his 2016 memoir Born a Crime, comedian Trevor Noah recounts his childhood in South Africa under the apartheid government and the first few years of democratic rule by the nation’s black majority. Born in 1984 to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss expatriate father, Noah is not merely an anomaly in apartheid South Africa—his existence is actually illegal because the regime outlawed relationships between people of different races. Noah’s memoir interweaves vignettes from his childhood and adolescence with reflections on the history and culture of South Africa.

Review: This book far surpassed my expectations of a celebrity memoir. Growing up as a mixed race child in apartheid was dangerous! Yet, Noah uses his unusual childhood to mine comedy gold. He tackles a lot of difficult subjects along the way: colonialism, apartheid, religion, gender roles, and domestic abuse. His mother was abused, and ultimately shot by her second husband, so this is not all grins and giggles. The culture of South Africa was such that men who abused their wives faced no consequences, all leading to a shocking (yet happily not fatal) conclusion. His description of his grief at that moment is incredibly tender and powerful. However, most of the book is funny. Laugh out loud kind of funny! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, and it was superb.

Rating: 5/5

Recipe: Bobotie sounds like a version of shepherd’s pie, except instead of potatoes, it’s topped with an egg custard. I' must admit, I haven’t gotten around to trying this yet, but plan to.