Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, 2016, by Trevor Noah *****

This is not your typical Apartheid story. This is a tale of defiance, resilience, and survival, told with humor so sharp it cuts through the darkest of times. Born a Crime is Trevor Noah’s unfiltered, deeply personal account of his childhood in South Africa, growing up in the shadow of Apartheid and its chaotic aftermath.

At the heart of this story is Trevor’s mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, a warrior in her own right. Born and raised under the brutal oppression of Apartheid, she refused to let the system define her destiny. Against all odds, she carved out a life for herself, defying laws, norms, and expectations. She chose to have a child, a mixed-race child, with a white man at a time when such a union was not just taboo, but illegal. Yet, she was determined that her son would not inherit the burden of Apartheid.

Trevor takes us through his childhood, raised by a mother whose love was fierce and unwavering. She gave him everything she could, shielding him with her wit, wisdom, and unwavering belief that he was meant for something greater. But just when you think the book is solely about Patricia’s fight, Trevor shifts the focus to himself, his experiences as a biracial child navigating

a world that saw him as an anomaly. He takes us through his dating life, his adventures in street crime, and the chaotic, often absurd realities of growing up in post-Apartheid South Africa.

Yet, the book circles back to Patricia, her resilience, her struggles, and ultimately, her near-tragic fate. When she remarries, things take a dark turn. She becomes trapped in an abusive relationship, culminating in an act of violence so harrowing that it leaves you breathless. She was shot. 

Despite the weight of the subject matter, Trevor tells his story the only way he knows how, with humor, wit, and an uncanny ability to find light in the darkness. There were moments when I caught myself laughing out loud, then stopping to wonder: How can this man be so funny in the face of so much adversity? But that is Trevor Noah for you. He finds comedy in pain, turning tragedy into a lesson, and struggle into inspiration.

Born a Crime is more than just a memoir. It is a deeply engaging, thought-provoking, and surprisingly entertaining book that should be required reading, especially for teenagers. It’s a story of survival, of overcoming the odds, and of one young man who made it out alive when so many didn’t. Trevor Noah is one of the lucky ones.

Highly, highly recommended.