Comedian and The Daily Show Host Trevor Noah has risen to the top of the comedy world in the past decade at a stunning rate. His sense of humor, delivery, and social commentary have made him a household name.
If you have tuned to his show or watched his comedy set, then you know he is well-read and well-traveled and his book selection reflects the same thing. We will be diving into Trevor Noah’s 10 favorite books and see what made his list. And as you can guess, they are very diverse.
Trevor Noah’s 10 Favorite Books
- The Wonderful Story of Henrey Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- My Taritor’s Heart by Rian Malan
- To Quote Myself: A Memior by Khaya Dlanga
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
- Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
- But What If We’re Wrong by Chuck Klosterman
- Native Life in South Africa by Sol Plaatje
Lots of Gems on This List
What I love about reading other people’s favorite books lists is seeing what books influence them as well as what books they identify with. Noah was born in South Africa and his list includes a lot of books that he grew up but people outside of South Africa might not have. Now, people from all over the world will be introduced to authors and books they normally wouldn’t have come across.
This list includes classics such as The Little Prince, Harry Potter, and Roald Dahl. But it also showcases who Trevor Noah is with books such as Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. That is an amazing autobiography that everyone should read at least once.

I love the addition of diverse authors from all over the world. Noah is well traveled and his favorite books reflect that. He also has read up on history and its effect on modern life with books such as Homegoing.
Noah has recently announced that he will be leaving the The Daily Show. That news caught everyone off guard including his cast mates. He has changed the dynamic of the show and has been an important voice ever since he was hired. Not only is Noah funny, but he is also insightful and able to look at things with a different lens. He will be missed and it will be exciting to see what he decided to do next in his career!
Conclusion
There are some books here that I will definitely be adding to my reading list. Some books are not mentioned on the best books list or are so down the list that they don’t get the attention they deserve. Thanks to Noah, these authors are getting the attention they rightfully deserve.
What books stand out to you on Trevor Noah’s Ten Favorite Books list?
I’ve only heard of a couple of the books on the list, and I must check them out soon. Speaking of Trevor Noah, I have to say that his book Born A Crime is pretty interesting. I’m halfway through it now. Anyway, thanks for this post!