Gihyun Kim

Author: Gihyun Kim

Date: February 10th, 2025

Title: Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime is not just a coming-of-age memoir—it’s a wacky, laugh-out-loud, sometimes gut-wrenching ride through apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. And yet, something more than that, it’s a survival story, one of grit, and of how a single human soul (hats off to his incredible mom, Patricia) can shape an entire life.

The biggest thing that stuck with me? How much of a freak Trevor was. Being mixed race in South Africa back then was literally illegal—thus the name Born a Crime. He was neither quite fully accepted by the Blacks, whites, nor anywhere in between, so he was forced to teach himself how to survive. He figured out young that words were power, that jokes could talk him out of getting killed, and that at times, merely being like everybody else was the best strategy.

His mom is actually the highlight of the book, in my opinion. Patricia Noah is a straight-up legend. She’s an independent woman through and through, ridiculously resilient, and doesn’t tolerate nonsense from anyone—not even Trevor. She brought him up with an iron fist, complete faith, and the resolve to provide him a better life for himself, regardless of whether this involved bending rules. Their chemistry is both side-splitting and heartwarming, and it truly makes you appreciate the power of good parenting.

And then there are Trevor’s crazy stories about growing up—like being thrown from a moving car, running his own (very illegal) CD business, and trying to navigate love on poverty wages. It’s all done so you’re sitting there laughing out loud, and then BAM. He pops a higher message about poverty, race, or privilege in your face. That is why this book works so well—it’s funny, yet it’s also thinking-inducing.

One of the biggest lessons for me? Flexibility. Trevor was repeatedly put in situations where he didn’t exactly fit, yet he always managed to connect with others. Whether it was by language, by humor, or by sheer determination, he learned to get through tough times without them defining him.

Generally speaking, Born a Crime is the kind of book that will have you laughing and then punched in the gut by reality. It’s a race, history, and identity book, but it’s also family, resilience, and the wizardry of resourcefulness. If you haven’t read it, do yourself a favor and get it—you’ll be amused and slightly wiser.