Born a Crime

In this compelling and often hilarious coming-of-age memoir, Trevor Noah, one of the comedy world’s brightest new voices, shares his remarkable story of growing up in South Africa during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. 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, Noah’s very existence was evidence of his parents’ indiscretion.

As a young boy, Noah was kept mostly indoors for the first years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, take him away. “Born a Crime” is a collection of 18 personal stories that tell the tale of a mischievous young boy coming of age in a world where he was never supposed to exist.

Through his sharp-minded observations and light-footed humor, Noah illuminates the absurdities of politics, race, and identity, drawing from the wealth of experiences acquired in his relatively young life. From subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times to being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, Noah’s stories paint a vivid picture of his curious world, one that is as moving and unforgettable as the very best memoirs, and as funny as his own hilarious stand-up.

At the heart of Noah’s story is his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life. “Born a Crime” is a testament to the power of resilience, hope, and the unbreakable bond between mother and son.

As host of the US hit show The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, he provides viewers around the globe with their nightly dose of biting satire. In “Born a Crime,” Noah turns his focus inward, offering a deeply personal and heartfelt look at the world that shaped him. This unforgettable memoir is a must-read for anyone seeking an honest, humorous, and thought-provoking account of life in a dangerous time, and the indomitable spirit that allows one to rise above it all.