Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Truly Madly Guilty is the story of regret and shame. The two main characters Erika and Clementine have been friends from childhood, but it is a strange relationship. Clementine feels a sense of obligation toward Erika, who is socially awkward. Both Erika and Clementine are dealing with the remnants of their childhood as it was, rather than how they wished it could be. When Erika's loud and congenial neighbor invites both couples over for a barbecue, events unfold that cause everyone involved to rethink their actions that night. The characters were well developed and the story moved quickly, with chapters jumping from the night of the barbecue to the present. I wish I could give this book a four and a half stars, it had great potential but at times felt almost too suspenseful which took away from the overall impact. Truly Madly Guilty explores the aftermath of bad decisions and how regret affects each of us differently. I would highly recommend this book.
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Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have had this book on my to read list for awhile, and I am glad I took the time to finally read it. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood was insightful and honest. I was amazed and horrified to realize that Apartheid still ruled in South Africa until 1991. Trevor's childhood was such a combination of love and anguish, it gives me such a different view of him as a person and a comedian. This book is a quick read, Trevor uses humor and brutal honesty to share the story of his life and those around him. His descriptions of life in South Africa both during and after Apartheid are shocking and very eye-opening. The institutional racism and sexism was evident throughout the the stories, which made it almost hard to read at times. His mother sounds like an incredible person, despite all of the hardships she went through and I have no doubt she is a big part of why Trevor is so successful now. Much more than just a biography, this book should be required reading for everyone for the light it sheds on racism and its lasting effects on a community of people. I highly recommend this book.
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