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Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (2016)

by Trevor Noah

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
5,6413441,699 (4.36)423
Noah's path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at the time such a union was punishable by five years in prison. As he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist, his mother is determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. With an incisive wit and unflinching honesty, Noah weaves together a moving yet funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time.… (more)
  1. 00
    Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa by Mark Mathabane (meggyweg)
  2. 11
    Q & A by Vikas Swarup (supersidvicious)
    supersidvicious: Love helps you survive in worlds of hunger, misery and violence
  3. 01
    Everything Sad Is Untrue: (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri (bjappleg8)
    bjappleg8: both are brilliant stories of boys caught between worlds with heroic mothers.
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» See also 423 mentions

English (338)  Estonian (1)  Catalan (1)  Spanish (1)  German (1)  All languages (342)
Showing 1-5 of 338 (next | show all)
Knew this was terrific, but put off listening. Downloaded from Mom's Audible library because she told me often I should listen. A stunning glimpse into what living under Apartheid and its collapse was like. Noah has a remarkable mind; his story is amazing and he tells it exceptionally well. ( )
  yarmando | Sep 21, 2023 |
Really good book. Lots of cultural insight into South Africa and family life, as told by one of my favourite comedians. A man of many talents. ( )
  jvgravy | Sep 19, 2023 |
Personal story. It will tug me, woo me, persuade me. Because I value your experience. I can't argue with your truth. And what a powerful lens for sharing experience and broadening understanding. For new ideas on family, feminism, being the outsider, and apartheid, thank you, Trevor. And double that for your incredible mother. ( )
  rebwaring | Aug 14, 2023 |
I really enjoyed this collection of stories from Trevor Noah’s childhood. My only complaint was that it was a little disjointed but that could be because I’m not used to reading autobiographies. Narrated very well by Noah himself. ( )
  LiteraryReadaholic | Aug 13, 2023 |
This is a great book! It deserves all the accolades it's gotten. I listened to it on audio, because I like hearing comedians read their own work. It made me remember my South African nanny, and how I pronounced everything "wrong" for years because of her. Haha. ( )
  beckyrenner | Aug 3, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 338 (next | show all)

» Add other authors

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Noah, Trevorprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Artigas, NúriaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bronswijk, Ineke vanTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Oostindiër, AnnoesjkaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schlatterer, HeikeÜbersetzersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Studios, AudiblePublishersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Dedication
For my mother. My first fan. Thank you for making me a man.
First words
The genius of apartheid was convincing people who were the overwhelming majority to turn on each other.
Quotations
Growing up the way I did, I learned how easy it is for white people to get comfortable with a system that awards them all the perks.
That, and so many other smaller incidents in my life, made me realize that language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.
The doctors took her up to the delivery room, cut open her belly, and reached in and pulled out a half-white, half-black child who violated any number of laws, statutes, and regulations—I was born a crime.
Sometimes we’d pull over and go up to the wall, and she’d put me on her shoulders like I was a little periscope.
I was just high-energy and knew what I wanted to do.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Noah's path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at the time such a union was punishable by five years in prison. As he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist, his mother is determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. With an incisive wit and unflinching honesty, Noah weaves together a moving yet funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time.

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Book description
Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, shares his remarkable story of growing up in South Africa with a black South African mother and a white European father at a time when it was against the law for a mixed-race child to exist. But he did exist--and from the beginning, the often-misbehaved Trevor used his keen smarts and humor to navigate a harsh life under a racist government.

In a country where racism barred blacks from social, educational, and economic opportunity, Trevor surmounted staggering obstacles and created a promising future for himself thanks to his mom’s unwavering love and indomitable will.

This honest and poignant memoir adapted from the #1 New York Times bestseller Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood will astound and inspire readers as well as offer a fascinating perspective on South Africa’s tumultuous racial history.
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