Born a Crime - BoundCovers

Paperback, 342 pages

English language

Published Feb. 17, 2016 by Macmillan.

ISBN:: 978-1-77010-506-5
OCLC Number:: 964574945

(2 reviews)

Trevor Noah’s path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show in New York began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of his relationship with his fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother – his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The eighteen personal essays collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic and deeply affecting. Whether being thrown from a moving car during an attempted …

Trevor Noah’s path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show in New York began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of his relationship with his fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother – his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The eighteen personal essays collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic and deeply affecting. Whether being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping or simply trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his world with an incisive wit and an unflinching honesty. --back cover

21 editions

Sofie reviewed Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Stories of Trevor Noah (and South Africa)

5 stars

The book starts light-hearted the same way young Trevor takes his life. He takes it as a fact, to be a born crime, somehow different from the rest of the family. As the author Trevor Noah puts his childhood into perspective - with entertaining anecdotes and insights. Many stories in the book create a mix of emotions to process. I needed often day-long breaks where I was just reflecting over a story.

Nearly every story brings a broader understanding of Apartheid and the struggles in South Africa. It makes you understand how unfair everything was set-up by design. How it evolved from colonialism to a modern police state - and eventually felt apart.

The book is well written and combines personal life with the day-to-day history of South Africa in a unique way. Whether you find Trevor interesting or the history of South Africa, this is a book for you.

Rainer reviewed Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

I learned so much about Trevor Noah (and South Africa)

5 stars

It took me about a year to finish this one. I started off reading out loud with my partner but we moved on to something a bit cheerier due to the fact that a lot of the chapters are pretty depressing (it's still a great book, it just wasn't working for us in that context).

Having said that, I really enjoyed Trevor's book here and I have a whole new level respect for him. He's a terrific writer and a hilarious storyteller.

If you like Trevor Noah or are interested in South Africa, consider reading this book.