Born A Crime: Stories from A South African Childhood

Author: David Moreno

Photos by Unsplash and Pixabay

Trevor Noah is one of the most well known and highest paid comedians in the world, he is also the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Born in South Africa Noah has made a name for himself across the world, with his stand comedy. But Noah’s life has not always been laughter and jokes, he has encountered failures, regrets, and tragedy. He wrote about his hysterical childhood stories in his wildly popular memoir Born A Crime: Stories from A South African Childhood. Noah describes his complicated childhood in a witty and funny way to find some comfort and understanding with those around him. Growing up in the aparthied state of South Africa further complicated his childhood as he spent most of his days hiding from authorities, as the law mandated that any baby born from an interracial home would be taken away and placed in a foster home. Noah’s family protected him at all costs just so he could live peacefully and avoid any confrontation with authorities. But that did not make any difference because Noah tells hysterical stories of how he used to cause trouble in his neighborhood resulting in police officers chasing him around neighborhoods in Soweto. Authorities were not the only ones chasing after Noah, his mother was another person who disciplined him and that required him to run.  He used to describe his relationship with his mother as a “Tom and Jerry” relationship, where his mother would often do her best to discipline him to turn him into a great man.

There are countless hilarious stories Noah tells, but there are also many moments that break one’s heart. The financial struggles his family encountered for many years, his bullying issue, regrets he has, and above all the abuse inflicted by his step-father Abel.

Noah’s story shows the world that regardless of the hardships one encounters in their lives it is always good to find humor in every situation. It’s heart wrenching but at the end of the day Trevor Noah will do what he is best at, make people laugh and the positive side of everything. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is a must read!