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  • Born a Crime

  • Stories from a South African Childhood
  • Written by: Trevor Noah
  • Narrated by: Trevor Noah
  • Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (13,424 ratings)

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Born a Crime

Written by: Trevor Noah
Narrated by: Trevor Noah
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Publisher's Summary

Highest-rated new book of 2016 by Audible customers

Winner: Audible's Best of 2016 - Celebrity Memoirs 

In this award-winning Audible Studios production, Trevor Noah tells his wild coming-of-age tale during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa. It’s a story that begins with his mother throwing him from a moving van to save him from a potentially fatal dispute with gangsters, then follows the budding comedian’s path to self-discovery through episodes both poignant and comical. Noah’s virtuoso embodiment of all the characters from his childhood, and his ability to perform accents and dialects effortlessly in English, Xhosa, and Zulu, garnered the Audie Award for Best Male Narrator in 2018. Nevertheless, Noah’s devoted and uncompromising mother—as voiced by her son—steals the show. 

©2016 Spiegel & Grau (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

What the critics say

"Comedian Trevor Noah's stories of growing up in South Africa are vivid, sometimes harrowing, and often laugh-out-loud funny. The bonus of audio is that listeners get to HEAR Noah tell these stories in his South African-accented English, as well as hear him speak snippets of various other South African languages. Noah (who succeeded Jon Stewart as the host of 'The Daily Show') is a natural storyteller - skilled, engaging, and relatable.... Noah's narration offers insights and intimacy." (AudioFile)

"The author’s gift for vocal impersonation elevates the audio version into something even more splendid than an already terrific memoir.” (The Washington Post)

The author’s gift for vocal impersonation elevates the audio version into something even more splendid than an already terrific memoir.

- The Washington Post

Our favourite moments from Born a Crime

Born a Crime
"No, Mom! This was not thanks to God!"
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Born a Crime
"Once Mandela was elected, we could finally live freely."
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Born a Crime
"If my mother had one goal, it was to free my mind."
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  • Born a Crime
  • "No, Mom! This was not thanks to God!"
  • Born a Crime
  • "Once Mandela was elected, we could finally live freely."
  • Born a Crime
  • "If my mother had one goal, it was to free my mind."

Editorial Review

Never quite belonging, and never fitting into one place or one race. Alienated, separated, and every bit an individual, Trevor Noah explains what it means to be Born a Crime.

In this audiobook, Trevor Noah, award-winning host of The Daily Show, tells the story of his life, starting with his being conceived by a white father and Black mother in a South Africa ruled by apartheid. Beyond recounting his own turbulent childhood, Noah’s memoir reflects the larger picture of a country and culture fraught with pain, separation, and corruption. Noah doesn’t hold anything back, and dives into anecdotes and recollections of his past that are at once deeply personal and universally relatable. Listeners will love the chance to take a peek back into his early years and the formative experiences that have made this infamous comedian the man he is today.

Memoirs tend to hit more powerfully when they are read by their author, and Born a Crime is no exception. Noah brings a personal touch to this audiobook with style and grace. His conversational tone is inviting and relatable, while his humour and comedic timing are impeccable. He is able to recount tales using a wide variety of voices and accents to add authenticity, comedy, and heart to his stories; this impressive skill led to his winning an Audie Award for Best Male Narrator.

Born a Crime is a story that will touch and uplift listeners—especially those who have struggled with feeling like an outsider or not fitting into any one particular box. Noah uses his life and his biracial background to add poignancy to both a personal memoir and a look at social constructs. History reveals a lot about human nature, and his recollections of South Africa expose the flaws of systemic racism while reminding us of prejudices and biases still present today. Written and performed with humour, grace, and an open heart, this audiobook has a little bit of everything and is truly a must-listen for just about anyone.

What listeners say about Born a Crime

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Superb

I listened to it twice; back to back. That's a testament. I laughed (aloud, in public), was shocked, saddened at times, and I feel I learned not only about another person, but their culture too. I loved it.

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Extremely beautiful!

This is an incredible read. It is so vivid and tells lots of funny and heartbreaking experiences of Trevor Noah’s life. I absolutely loved it! There are many profound philosophical ideas in the book and I love his mother to bits after reading this. She is a true hero! Also, it’s performed by him so it makes it even better.

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This guy could read me the phone book! *swoon*

I really dig Trevor's accent and his ability to mimic other people's voices and accents. It really made his story come alive for me. I was so intrigued and drawn in, it inspired me to learn more about a part of the world I am quite ignorant about. I listened to this book every chance I got and I'm looking forward to listening to his podcasts. Truly a brilliant storyteller.

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An amazing story!

This book took me only a week to read. it was so thoughtfully written, put in such a perspective that really helps the reader understand how circumstances and situations are so impactful to the outcome of people's lives. the complexity of growing up in apartheid are so much more apparent in reading this. the author was serious, yet funny which keeps the tone light but maintains the impact of the story.

#Audible1

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Best book I have listened to so far on audible.

Hilarious, heartfelt and raw stories brought to life with wit and accents. It was really a pleasure to listen to. His story is very dynamic and unique yet often very relatable. I would recommend listening to it rather than reading print because of the ways he recreates the dialogues in different accents and languages, this adds so much to the action! A must read (audio) book!!

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Honestly...

Trevor Noah's life story is too amazing for words. A truly brilliant piece of work!

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this is what they call a must-read... must-listen?

I'm so happy that i picked this book as my first audible experience. To hear his accent and vocal impersonations felt like the age old storytelling tradition...which I enjoyed. I also learned so much about South Africa and its people. We all know about Nelson Mandela, but Trevor gave us another perspective told from a younger generation's voice. I've always thought trevor noah was a classy, good looking dude maybe from a wealthy, educated family. Wow! to learn how tough his life was. Yet he always found the humor in it all. loooooved this from beginning to end

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Enlightening

It made me laugh, it made me cry, it helped me to understand the crisis in South Africa more. I learnt a great deal listening to this audiobook, not just about about Trevor but south Africa. It caused me to think about Canada and our Aboriginal citizens and what they must have gone through.

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What an incredible and inspiring story!

I don't know if I would have enjoyed this book as much if I'd read it rather than listened. Trevor Noah's spirited reading, his mastery of all the African languages and accents, and of course his personal connection to the stories made it entertaining from start to finish.

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  • pg
  • 2019-04-23

Forever memorable

Laugh, learn, wonder, admire and gain perspective and that's just Chapter 1 ! my 11 year old son was hooked on the book also. Amazing story.

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  • Marilyn Armstrong
  • 2016-12-15

Great book and perfect narration

I don't review a lot of books anymore, but this one got to me. There are lots of books written by people -- including me -- who had a hard time growing up. Abusive parents, poverty, oppression. War. There is a lot of awful stuff children endure.

Trevor Noah endured all of it. Name something bad that a kid can experience and it probably happened to him. Born under apartheid, his existence was illegal. His birth was, as the title of his book suggests, a crime.

As the child of a white father and a black mother under South Africa during apartheid, if he had been noticed by the authorities, they would have taken him from his family and put him ... somewhere. So merely surviving until the end of apartheid was no mean feat. Add to that extreme poverty, violence and life under the most oppressive, racist regime you can imagine. Actually, you may not be able to imagine it. I knew it was bad, but South Africa refined oppression into an art form.

One of the other noteworthy things about this book was that I learned great deal about things I thought I already knew. I don't know if Noah intended it as a cautionary tale, but it is. Chilling.

I didn't read the book. I listened to the audiobook because Noah reads it himself. He has a beautiful, melodic voice and a lovely cadence. It was a treat for my ears and my brain.

You might think with all of this terrible stuff -- and some of it is really horrific -- that this would be an angry, possibly embittered man. But he isn't.

He's funny when humor is possible. Even when he's serious, there is grace and wit -- plus a sweetness and generosity of spirit that's rather uplifting. I don't think I've ever said that about a book. It's not a word I use lightly. Trevor Noah is a rare person, able to appreciate the good stuff in his life and not obsess over the considerable amount of injustice he has experienced.

I'm not usually a big fan of celebrity memoirs or autobiographies, but this is exceptional. If you have the patience, listen to it as an audiobook. Otherwise, consider reading it. He's a smart guy, a good writer, and an astute observer of humanity, government, politics, and relationships. Insightful, witty, and entertaining, I highly recommend it.

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  • S Ford
  • 2016-11-19

Wow

The narration is exemplary. He is a chameleon and his command of language gives the narrative so much texture.

The breadth and variety of sound is staggering. The are so many characters each with there own voice and language. It is a tour de force of story telling.

The story, in and of itself, is history, humor, and horror and at the end you will be uplifted.

Wow. Just Wow.

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  • ckaase
  • 2016-11-19

And now I wait...

Wonderful and engaging story, an eloquent and fluent reading by the author (I've loved hearing Trevor Noah speak since the first time I saw him on television), and very educational at the same time. However, I really want to know the story of how he ended up in America as the host of The Daily Show. He touches on the beginnings of his entertainment career in this book, but the main story is, as the title suggests, focused in his early life - from birth until early adulthood.... so I'm waiting Mr. Noah!!! I'm waiting for more of your seamlessly enchanting story telling!!! 😬

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  • Kierst Rabinowitz
  • 2017-03-30

Reviews were a bit misleading

Based on the reviews I read, I expected more. It wasn't a tragic life story, or super funny story.
It's an ok story.
Guess the hype, from the reviews, led me to hope for something more.

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  • Pamela J
  • 2016-11-17

Best book this year

Yes, I said it. The best book this year. Funny, poignant, historical, happy, and perfect. Yes, it is the story of Trevor, but it is so much more. It is the story of a place and a time that while I thought I understood, I didn't. It's just amazing that this is the story of a YOUNG man. How can this all have happened such a short time ago? Told with such wit and interest this is really the story of a woman who made her own way and taught her child to do the same. So enjoyable. The perfect book.

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  • Alfred Fredel
  • 2018-08-25

An interesting take on life yet a bit disturbing

As someone who is blind, I love audible because the books are narrated to me. I made this selection because I enjoy listening to the rider on his comedy show. He is very entertaining and can tell a good story. For the most part, I find his commentary is generally on point. This book gives you a glimpse into his mind and gives you a little background about the life that he has had while growing up in South Africa. I found the issues regarding domestic violence and his family situation to be quite disturbing, but I understand where his viewpoint is coming from because it was a very terrible situation. There were many things in the book that were quite funny and I enjoyed much of his narrative. I had a little bit of a problem with the story regarding the time where he was a DJ and had a lead dancer Who was given the name of Hitler. His explanation of the situation and the reason why this person was named after one of the most notorious people in history is uncomfortable. Other than these two things, I would recommend this book to others with the caveat that it might be a little much for some.

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  • reviewer
  • 2017-02-04

Started out very interesting, but declined quickly

Liked the first couple of chapters, but could not finish the book. Dragged on with childhood stories that weren't very captivating.

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  • StarrMcc
  • 2018-04-29

interesting topic, badly executed. WHERE was editor for this work!

Arrogant, egotistical, not even very funny, this guy has an overblown idea of himself that RUINED the potential for what could have been an interesting story, informative read.
I will NOT recommend this and am sorry I wasted my invested time in it. Refused to even finish it. Refund please!

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  • ADE
  • 2016-11-19

So much more than an autobiography!

I've been listening to this every minute I could since it came out. This is an incredible autobiography, and you will get your Trevor Noah laughs. But moreover, it's a brilliant lesson on the realities of apartheid, poverty, misogyny, domestic abuse, and more. I guarantee you will have numerous moments of pausing to digest some truly incredible insights, especially if you're privileged in your culture (::ahem:: if you're white). Apartheid, especially, I didn't know nearly enough about. I truly appreciate the stories told even just for that.

The author manages to take into account that much of his audience will not understand the cultures he grew up around, and it feels now that I not only know the author's roots, but that I have a mental landscape of South Africa that never existed for me before.

If you know Trevor Noah's work from The Daily Show, you'll know he doesn't miss a moment to reflect on the nuances, the ironies, and himself.

Very well done!!

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  • Shirley Carter
  • 2017-11-18

Disappointed

I didn’t finished this book. Disappointed. Trevor uses crude phrases I really don’t understand why people do this. We can explain what we’re thinking and what we have experienced without falling into this pattern. Actually, he does a good job of narrating the book.

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  • Cheerioh
  • 2019-01-21

Histoire super intéressante, super bien lu

Un des meilleurs livres audio que j'ai pu écouter jusque-là. My, my, c'était tellement bien. C'est un livre qui avait fait le buzz mais ô objectif mérité. J'ai tellement appris de choses sur la vie de cet homme en Afrique du Sud. La personnalité incroyable de sa mère, ses bêtises, l'univers tellement particulier de ce pays pour un petit gars ni blanc ni noir. Ça vaut vraiment le détour. Je recommande à 200%. En plus c'est l'auteur qui lit son livre, il imite certains personnages, lit les parties en langue étrangère, vraiment très vivant.

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  • valérie draczuk
  • 2020-02-07

A quand la traduction en français

Merveilleux , Wonderful! Rire et larmes et émotion intenses à la dernière seconde! A mettre entre toutes les mains !

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  • Annelise
  • 2018-07-09

lost for words

very good book. Trevor Noah give a comprehensive explination on how apartaid worked in south africa.

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  • Jacky
  • 2018-05-01

Incroyable !

A écouter absolument, si vous voulez rire, être surpris, émus, choqué, apprendre mais surtout rire. Le meilleur livre audio que j’ai écouté grâce à l’histoire et la performance de Mr Noah qui est très très talentueux. Il sait imiter tout type de personnages. Il est brillant. J’ai passé un très bon moment. Je le recommande sans aucune hésitation

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  • Moeen B.
  • 2017-04-04

Just perfect

I just loved it! Trevor Noah rocks! his accent, his imitations, his tones...I felt like I was inside a movie, or living with him. I cried once, I laughed many times and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2022-07-24

Outstanding...

Seriously, hilariously brilliant! I laughed and cried and learnt so much... The Storytelling is as powerful for everything expressed as it is for everything left unsaid... Outstanding!

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  • Utilisateur anonyme
  • 2022-02-15

l'afrique du sud vu par un jeune métis: attachant

En tant qu'européenne ma vision de l'afrique du sud était limitée à Neslon Mandela. Trevor Naoh est devenu une star mais il nous partage tout son parcours, Il donne une vision attachante étonnante bouleversante et tellement vivante de l'Afrique du Sud.
je me suis régalée
je lis en anglais pour l'entrenir et Trevor Noah lit son livre de façon compréhensible.

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  • Utilisateur anonyme
  • 2021-06-16

Absolutely awesome!!

I know how talented is this man but never expected to enjoy his book so much. I laughed, I cried too. Trevor Noah is an amazing story-teller

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  • linda
  • 2021-05-10

Masterpiece

Best book and reading ever. True and vibrant. every chapter is intense. I learned so much about Life. Thank you , long life to you and your beloved ones.

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