Born A Crime by Trevor Noah
Autobiographies always remind me that storytelling is art. There are a million ways to frame any story and choosing the one that relates what you authentically feel is a truly amazing skill to have in life and in business.
I promised Shlinda that I'd finish this book in exchange for her finishing Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey. Unfortunately, that was in the summer and a lot of time has passed. I'm not entirely sure why it took me so long, especially because I really did enjoy the read. Hearing the story narrated in Trevor's own voice brought it to life -- his South African English and the enunciations as he pronounces words and phrases from any of the seven languages he knows adds depth to what is a very personal read.
In Born A Crime, Trevor Noah recounts countless stories from his early life. He focuses on: childhood antics; his relationship with his Swiss father; his upbringing with his uniquely independent and strong mother; church; his place in an apartheid society -- never being white enough for the white kids or black enough for the black kids and thus never being in the in group; hustling in the ghetto and potential scares of jail; his abusive step father; and of course, girl problems. We don't learn anything about his professional life, how he became a comedian, or how he got to the US. I'd enjoy a sequel in a few decades.
I listened to this audiobook blasting while I'm in the shower and brushing my teeth. A few times a week for 5-10 minutes, I'd have a little bit of Trevor Noah's childhood life playing. Trevor knows that the devil is in the details and he makes you feel like you're looking at the world through the eyes of 5 year old him, dramatically running through the streets and causing chaos. I also built a deep respect for his mom and her conviction for her ideals, as well as a sense of empathy for traditions and unwavering (if sometimes irrational) beliefs that I should probably be less antagonistic towards my own parents for. It was a rock solid mix of entertainment and social analysis on how humans behave at their best and at their worst.
*Spoilers* / Random stories:
Trevor, his brother, and his mom jumping out of a car on the way to church after being kidnapped by a different racial group
Trevor burning down his house
The church ladies praying to Jesus to get rid of evil spirits
Trevor's dad following all of his skits/news while maintaining his distance
The apartheid experience, constructed in a way in which everybody was against each other
The childhood friend who was caught by police when Trevor was not and who had been expelled
The high school experience of not being in any in-group
The prom date that Trevor never actually talked to
The description of the ghetto/hood mentality and why it's so hard to escape it
Trevor hustling school and the streets selling music and mixtapes
Trevor's dancer friend, Hitler, and the hilarious controversy of the Jewish
The jail incident because Trevor drove his father-in-law's car illegally
Trevor's mom staying independent against her new husband in a society that wanted her to cave -- sleeping in the backyard, threatening divorce