Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Author: Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah was born on February 20, 1984 in Johannesburg, South Africa when apartheid was alive and kicking. In his retelling of his childhood experiences he puts us smack dab in Johannesburg of the eighties, but with a humorous twist. 

You can see how Trevor must have been born with a great sense of humour. The title refers to the fact that Trevor was born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss-German father during a time when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa. He shares many humorous stories about navigating his identity as a mixed-race child, often using language as a tool to connect with different communities. He recounts his various childhood entrepreneurial ventures from selling pirated CDs to DJing at parties.

All through the book, you get to see the huge role his mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah played in his life. There are stories where he had run-ins with the law and the bullying and other challenges he faced as a bi-racial child attending schools with predominantly black or white kids. 

By combining humor, wit and insightful commentary, Trevor is able to bring to life the tumultuous period of South Africas history. Listen to the audiobook and you will both be entertained and educated at the same time.