Trevor Noah

Born a Crime is the memoir of South African comedian Trevor Noah who grew up during Apartheid and its turbulent aftermath. The title refers to his birth as a mixed race child, a union between people of different races being illegal at the time. Trevor’s mother was a courageous Xhosa woman whose daily life defied the system that tried to suppress her. His father was a Swiss man. Trevor and his mother spent years hidden away in the city in a white area that was illegal for them to live in.

Trevor’s story takes us through his experiences living in a white area where he was considered too black, in a township in Soweto where he was considered too white and in a coloured area where he looked similar but was culturally too black to fit in.

I enjoyed the portrayal of his mother, the hardships of her life, her obvious strength and resilience, and the deep respect he clearly has for her. I found some of the sections about how gangster he was less engaging. It also felt like it was very clearly written for an American audience and I wondered how South African readers would perceive this story. I certainly can’t imagine any South African ever referring to their mother as Mom! 3.5 stars for me.… (more)