Center for Teaching & Learning

Trevor Noah was born in 1984. Noah grew up under South African apartheid for ten years. Noah is biracial: his mother is Black and his father is white. Back then, a white man and a Black woman were not allowed to have any type of relationship, but his parents were together anyways. According to apartheid laws, Noah was not even allowed to have been born—he was born a crime.

Noah was raised by his mom, and he had a challenging time growing up. He and his mother had no money. Noah lived in a shack with his mom, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and his two cousins. Eventually, Noah’s abusive stepfather moves in, and the situation goes from bad to much, much worse.

This book made the reality of living under South African apartheid seem a lot more real. This book is fast-paced; it moves through Noah’s life one year at a time, recounting funny moments and terrifying moments. Altogether, this book shows what it is like growing up in a difficult place and environment, but it does so with humor.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is a memoir. Noah tells a moving story about growing up in what was one of the worst places on earth for biracial people at the time. Noah shows that he was able to use his wit to get out of sticky situations that would have gotten him killed.

Extremely funny, this memoir is a good starting point for readers new to the genre.

Carter

One World, 304 pages