Born a Crime

Illegal mixed-race birth

Born a Crime is the 2016 memoir by comedian Trevor Noah, recounting his childhood in South Africa during and after apartheid.

The title refers to his birth to a Black Xhosa mother and white Swiss father—a union illegal under apartheid's Immorality Act: In apartheid South Africa, I was literally born a crime.

The book explores race, identity, and survival with humor amid hardship.

Related

Trevor Noah · Johannesburg · mixed-race · illegal · childhood · identity · survival · street smart · humor · Patricia · mother · single mother · township · Soweto · racism · segregation · forbidden · colorism

Categories
Opposites
genre/literary form

Born a Crimefiction

Imagined narrative work

fantasy · novel · science fiction · historical fiction · fabrication

legal/moral status of existence

Born a Crimeheir apparent

Unassailable next in line

birthright

tone/approach to hardship

Born a Crimetragedy

Disastrous or sorrowful event

misery memoir · Angela's Ashes · hopelessness

Family

born, crime, borne, birthday, newborn, firstborn, stillborn, reborn, inborn

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG