Born A Crime: a long awaited review by the Protégé

Born A Crime: a long awaited review by the Protégé

It’s been well over a year since I read Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime; and I remember swearing to Self that I will review it as soon as I was done *insert laughing emojis*. Little did I know that I was going to live it (consciously so) more than reviewing it – this is one of the books I read in 2017 that was top of my Books I Would Recommend list, pretty much to anyone. Fast forward to 2018, Winter Recess, and my 13 YEAR OLD (I had to - #Pride people) nephew finds this gem on their visit. I tell him there’s a book he needs to read and essay (read review) before they leave and he didn’t waste any time. But first, he had to remind me that I robbed him of the chance to finish Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus back in 2016 (circumstances, very special circumstances) when he was halfway through the book. Born A Crime was an intellectual debt transaction between an aunt and her nephew.

Below is MK the Poet’s (as he calls himself when he is on Writing Mode) essay of Born A Crime – the text has of course, been edited and he was guided (as any good mentor would) in this writing process and I tried not to suck out his authenticity in my editing:

The title of the book – Born A Crime – means the life that is/was hard for one to live. Trevor was born to live a complicated life of opportunities, good talents, with crime, and lessons on Jesus like most of us.

The book has taught me to be patient for things to happen in my life – to have hope for things to come my way and believe in Jesus to manufacture my life. I was reminded to respect my parents and be happy with my culture – my true self-image and to never look down on where I come from as I pursue my dreams.

Favourite character and why:

Nombuyiselo – Trevor’s mother – she is a good, kind, loving mother to all her children despite their different fathers. She punishes and treats her children the same way while protecting them. Trevor’s mom reminds me of my own mother and her life – mothers are the most caring of their families and they respect their children’s lives, they are most aware of what kind of children they are raising.

Favourite story:

The Mulberry Tree – this is the story I relate with the most because people would rob me like they did Noah with his bike. I remember how I would get robbed of my bike’s body parts with people saying they are going to help me fix it when they were going to steal them and fix their own bikes. I used to cry about it but now I’m wiser and have made new friends.

On writing:

I like writing because it has helped me to write what’s deep from my heart, and also accept people with their different perspectives, and be imaginative about what is to happen.

My quote from the book: Part 1, Chapter 4, Chameleon

“Living with my mom, I saw how she used language to cross boundaries, handle situations, and navigate the world. We were in a shop once and the shopkeeper, right in front of us, turned to the security and said in Afrikaans ‘Volg daai swatters sodat jy hulle kan help kry waarna hulle soek nie?’ – Why don’t you follow these blacks so you can help them with what they’re looking for in case they steal something? My mother turned and said in beautiful, fluent Afrikaans, ‘Hoekom vlog jy nie daai swarters sodat jy hulle kan help kry wat hulle soek nie?’ – Why don’t you follow these blacks so you can help them find what they’re looking for?

I would recommend this book to my friends so they can ask themselves what they are doing with their lives, not to mess around, and do shit. Personally, I knew Noah was a great comedian in South Africa who liked making jokes about his family before writing this book.

P.S. He called me a month after reading the book to ask if I couldn't send him a few chapters of the book to read, I've decided to get him his own copy (still pending) which I hope will get signed (why the hell not?) some day.