Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah [Biography Noah] 

I only knew of Trevor Noah from The Daily Show, and since I’ve always been in awe by both his humor and his ability to explain politics, history, and life in a way that’s easy for me to understand, I couldn’t wait to finish the other book I was reading when this fell into my hands. I’m glad I listened to my instincts, as I have been thoroughly enjoying and recommending this book to everyone.

Not only did he teach me an incredible amount about Apartheid, but (unbelievable as it is that a biography from South Africa during Apartheid could offer any light moments) he was also hilarious in describing himself as a young person who gave his mom a giant’s share of challenges with his behavior. His tribute to his mother is always a top theme among the eleven short stories in this book. She was strong and raised him to carry himself as a good person and escape poverty.

His mother is a black Xhosa woman, and his father is a white Swiss man. Since South African separated white people, black people, “colored” people (their word for those with a black parent and a white parent), and Indians into different communities to keep them separate, being seen walking with either of his parents would result in them being imprisoned for four to five years. I learned there are eleven national languages in South African.

Once I started this book, I could not put it down. I am so glad he wrote so much about his truly inspirational and strong mother.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Swing Time, by Zadie Smith.]

[ publisher’s official Born a Crime web site ] | [ official Trevor Noah web site ]

Recommended by Jodi R.
Gere Branch Library

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Random Violence

Random Violence
by Jassy Mackenzie

This debut novel is set in turbulent post-apartheid South Africa. Jade de Jong has been living in Great Britain and working as a private investigator for the past ten years. She fled her native land after her police commissioner father was murdered. Jade has come back home because her father's murderer is about to be released from prison; and she has a score to settle. Jade's old friend David Patel, now police Superintendent Patel, meets her at the airport. On the way to Jade's home David asks her to help him with a complicated murder case. A divorced woman, Annette Botha, was killed during a carjacking. Her ex-husband, Piet Botha, is the chief suspect. David thinks that there may be more to this murder than meets the eye so he asks her to investigate. As Jade probes this and other murders a pattern emerges that points to an intricate web of crimes for profit. Jade de Jong lives by her own moral code in this grim and gritty novel. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Donna Leon, Deon Meyer and Benjamin Black.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ official Jassy Mackenzie web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.