I came into this book with high expectations and they have been surpassed. I was a bit worried starting that this would be a typical comedian memoir, but I was absolutely wrong. This book is absolutely riveting, and although I read the ebook version (I would love to listen to the audiobook at some point!), I could hear Trevor Noah’s voice in my head.
Overall, this title was deeply informative about life in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, and I think that Noah balances his humor and social commentary very well. His discussions about his relationship with his mother are the strongest parts of the book, and the last chapter brought me to tears.
I do think that having a bit of background as to how he got into comedy would have been interesting; he alluded to it a little bit not much. However, the depth Noah goes into with discussing his upbringing more than makes up for his comedy career’s relative absence from the book.
Overall, one of the best books I’ve read this year. This one is going to stay with me for a long time.