“I’ve come to realize for myself that depression and anxiety occupy two states that are permanent when they shouldn’t be. So when I’m anxious, what I’m doing is I’m dwelling in the future, a future that may not come to pass. When I’m depressed, it’s because I’m dwelling in a past that is no longer the present.” – Trevor Noah
I’ve shared here before that I’m an enormous fan of The Daily Show. It’s a love that started at a young age and runs deep – I still watch it every single day, something I’ve done for more than two decades now. And as a (nearly) lifelong fan, I was nervous to relinquish the reign of Jon Stewart – my cynical, sarcastic, northeastern Jewish hero whose strength of pizza opinions rival only mine and whose steadfast dedication to his causes (the Zadroga Act, animal rescue) has inspired my own.
But then came Trevor Noah.
It’s not just that he’s funny, or smart, or adorable – though he’s certainly all of those things.
He cares about people. He cares about stories we don’t talk about. He’s so, so generous. He uses his powerful platform for good, and seems to have fun while doing it. He is immensely successful in performing and writing and producing at a very young age – and more than that, against all odds.
At its core, Born a Crime tells the story of Trevor Noah. Born to a black mother and a white father in South Africa during apartheid, the simple fact of his survival is remarkable – let alone what he’s made of himself in the ensuing years. He is a talented storyteller, bringing the reader to a part of the world they may have visited but have never understood unless they’ve lived it.
What you cannot truly appreciate until you read the book is the improbability – perhaps the impossibility – that anyone would go from this background to the level of success that the author has enjoyed. But to learn about the improbability is to, at the same time, understand that there is simply nothing impossible for someone with this much pure grit. Every moment feels intentional – and not a single one is taken for granted.
I’m also immensely grateful for his honesty, as evidenced by the above quote. I’ve long lamented the fact that I am both future-focused and past-obsessed, because it means I have a tendency to miss what is happening in the moment. The world always feels a little more manageable when someone that successful makes your perspective feel relatable.
Whether you’re looking for perspective or guidance or inspiration, you’ll find it in the pages of this book. Perhaps the only thing that goes uncovered: his thoughts on pizza.
You’ll like this if: definitely if you like The Daily Show, but you’ll probably love it even at a lower level of fandom. No matter who you are, you definitely have something to learn about tenacity and hustle from Trevor Noah.
Happy reading!
Suggested content:
– Variety interview
– Death, Sex & Money podcast
– Hollywood Reporter profile
– Trevor visits his grandmother in Soweto
– Trevor Noah Foundation
– And to bring us back to the beginning: in some timely content, Jon Stewart gave incredible advice on the graduation episode of John Krasinski’s Good News show. (Don’t miss Malala, Steven Spielberg and Oprah…but be clear on the original reason I clicked.)
carlyreads 