Title: Born a Crime
Author: Trevor Noah
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Pages: 289
Publication Date: 15 Nov 2016
StoryGraph* Moods: Funny, Emotional, Reflective
How I Stumbled Upon This Book: I knew of Trevor Noah, but I first saw it wandering through a bookshop
Other Books by this author: It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime (Adapted for Young Readers) and Into the Uncut Grass.
*StoryGraph also offers content warnings.
Description: Trevor Noah was, as the title notes, born a crime. The relationship between his Swiss father and Black Xhosa mother was illegal in apartheid South Africa. He spent much of his early life hidden away, literal proof of his parents’ illegal relationship. When apartheid finally came to an end, he and his mother were able to live more freely. This memoir covers large swaths of this life, from poverty to today (celebrating those who helped him get there, like his incredibly strong mother).
Often times heartbreaking, Noah still manages to find the humor in a damaged world.
Why I recommend this book: If you like Trevor Noah, you’ll enjoy reading this. If you somehow have no clue who he is, his story offers direct insight to a life that was lived half a world away. For those old enough to remember apartheid, here’s a face to put to it. For those of you who are too young, you’ll still gain some perspective. You can learn and laugh at the same time.
“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.”
~ Trevor Noah, Born a Crime
Ami Maxine 