Why people recommend it
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is a powerful memoir detailing the comedian's turbulent upbringing in South Africa under the strict and oppressive system of apartheid. The book has received high praise from various podcast hosts and guests alike. On the No Stupid Questions podcast, the host discussed the memoir on multiple occasions, citing it as a personal favorite and highlighting its surprisingly thoughtful, serious examination of the author's early life. Specifically, the host pointed to a poignant reflection in the book regarding regret, where Noah shares that while he does not regret the choices he made, he remains deeply consumed by regret over the things he failed to do. On On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the host praised the brilliance of Born a Crime, enthusiastically encouraging listeners to read the entire volume rather than relying on a summary. Additionally, on another episode of Jay Shetty's podcast, the guest Daniel Pink was noted for having previously recommended Noah's audiobook version of the memoir as an exceptional educational resource for high school students to study. Through these discussions, Born a Crime is consistently portrayed not merely as a comedic celebrity autobiography, but as a deeply reflective, serious, and resonant literary work that offers profound insights into human resilience, societal constructs, and personal growth.
Who recommended it
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 4
“We have these constructs, and I think one fascinating thing I listened to recently was from Trevor Noah, who's the comedian who wrote one of my favorite books, 'Born a Crime.'”
“Who you might think is just comedic and funny, but he wrote a book called Born a Crime, and it's a very thoughtful, serious look at his life. And in there, he says this: I don't regret anything I've ever done in my life, any choice that I've made, but I'm consumed with regret for the things I didn't do,”
“Your book, Born a Crime, is brilliant and I don’t want to go through the entire book, as I would love for people to read it if they haven’t.”
“i think it was yesterday or a couple of days ago where you recommended you actually recommended trevor noah's audiobook of crime for a book to study with for high school students”