Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

4/5 stars.
ebook, 322 pages.
Read January 5, 2021 to January 7, 2021.

I don’t think I’ve really talked about this awesome new book club I’m apart of. It’s a meet-in-person club with people who actually read the book, all while drinking copious amounts of alcohol with engaging and amazing discussions. Every. Single. Month. I chose The Vegetarian for my read in May and it was epic.

It’s a book lover’s dream and I’m so happy I found it. Born a Crime was another book club read and unlike the last one this book was an unexpected pleasure.

Confession: I have never watched The Daily Show and only knew about Trevor Noah in passing. It wasn’t until I came across this book that I even knew he was from South Africa.

Born a Crime is Trevor Noah’s memoir and testament to his childhood and his country, South Africa, and especially his mother. Trevor Noah is ‘coloured’ and was born during the time of apartheid meaning that he was actually born a crime. He legally wasn’t allowed to exist. His mother is black and his father is white and relations between the two were not allowed, among many of the rules that oppressed the black population of South Africa at the time. The story describes how Noah grew up, how his mom raised him alone, and how he learned and worked within the regimented system that existed in South Africa. Trevor’s story is highly entertaining and engaging while also drawing attention to the intense racial issues that still plague South Africa today. Trevor’s story is also a testament to his mother and everything that she did for him in raising him. If you’ve read the first chapter of this book you also know it involves being thrown out of a moving vehicle to save him. Just one example of how funny, interesting, and captivating Trevor’s story is.

“My mom did what school didn’t. She taught me how to think.”

Trevor’s story isn’t about his miraculous rise to fame, it’s about his country, his mother, and is a coming of age story for a kid growing up in a difficult situation. Trevor is humble and while he gives some details about his rise to fame he takes a reflective stance about what his new situation means to him and others.

“The first thing I learned about having money was that it gives you choices. People don’t want to be rich. They want to be able to choose. The richer you are, the more choices you have. That is the freedom of money.”

Considering I didn’t even know much about Trevor Noah prior to reading this book I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and just how humorous it is. A good comedian can make light of serious situations and issues while drawing your attention to these sensitive topics without offensive, Trevor has mastered this.

“If you’re Native American and you pray to the wolves, you’re a savage. If you’re African and you pray to your ancestors, you’re a primitive. But when white people pray to a guy who turns water into wine, well, that’s just common sense.”

Whether you love memoirs or not, I feel that there is something in this book for everyone while also providing a unique insight into difficult part of South African history.