We’ve all read at least one autobiography. Some keep you entertained. Others change your life.
Born a Crime is the best-selling memoir from comedian Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show. Noah grew up during apartheid in South Africa in what he describes as an “illegal” childhood. His mother is Black and Xhosa. His father is Swiss- German.
Being born Trevor Noah was a crime.
Miscegenation was illegal under South Africa’s Immorality Act of 1927. Because of this racist law, Trevor’s mother was literally put in prison by the state for having him.
What she didn’t do was let apartheid prisonмент her son to a life of poverty and hardship.
Inspiring Lessons from Trevor Noah’s Mother
There are many reasons Trevor Noah is such an inspiration, but one of the best comes straight from his mother’s lessons on life. If you haven’t read Born a Crime yet, grab some tissues. You’re going to want to pick up a copy after reading this.
A Mother Who Refused to Let the Past Define the Future
Patricia Noah didn’t allow herself to live in resentment. Though she faced adversity throughout her youth and adulthood, she drilled into Trevor this advice:
“Learn from your past and be better because of your past, but don’t cry about your past.”
Trevor’s mother refused to focus on the negatives. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she taught Trevor how to make a better life for himself.
Patricia even named him with his future in mind. Most South African’s had Xhosa names like Nelson or Desmond. These names typically represented the hope a family has for their child or referenced shared religious beliefs.
Instead of burdening Trevor with history or religion, his mother named him Trevor. It was a common enough name that carried no expectations or cultural destiny.
She wanted her son to be whatever he wanted to be—not what someone else expected him to be.
Books Became the Greatest Gift
Patricia Noah also knew that education would set Trevor free in a way that prison never could. She did this by…
Making English his first language. This would open doors that would have otherwise been closed to him growing up Black in South Africa.
Surrounding him with books at every opportunity. Though money was tight, Trevor’s mom would scour garage sales for free books. She even signed up for a 25-cent-per-book mail-order program that got him reading outside of school.
At one point she bought him a 15-year-old encyclopedia set. To most families, that collection of outdated books was garbage. To Trevor, they became treasures.
He bragged about how his shelf was “filled with BOOKS!” Trevor wouldn’t let anyone damage his books and he read them over and over again.
Reading was his entry to another world. One where he wasn’t poor or Black or worse…poor and Black.
Instead of reading stories about normal life, Trevor escaped to fantasy. His favorite authors weren’t BASED IN REAL LIFE.
He read every book by Roald Dahl and devoured The Chronicles of Narnia. If life treated him unfairly, he’d at least get to live hundreds of magical adventures.
Teaching a Child How to Think
The greatest gift Trevor’s mother gave him wasn’t what to think. It was how to think.
Most of Trevor’s mother’s peers were okay with their children simply listening. Not Patricia. She wanted Trevor to understand what he was reading.
She would ask him questions about the stories he read. Let him interpret what he was learning in school. When they read the bible together each morning she didn’t simply recite words from a book.
Instead she asked him:
“What does this mean?”
“What does this mean to you?”
“How can we apply this to your life?”
Patricia taught her son how to think critically, reflect, and form his own opinions.
In his book Trevor recalls:
“My mom did what school didn’t. She taught me how to think.”
More Than an Autobiography
Born a Crime is much more than an autobiography from a successful comedian. It’s a testament to an incredible woman who fought against a racist system that tried to steal her son’s potential.
Patricia taught her son to think for himself at a time when so few cared what a Black kid from South Africa had to say. Books became his outlet. Escape. Education.
More than that, Patricia showed him how to use knowledge to elevate himself no matter his circumstances.
Patricia didn’t just teach her kid to overcome adversity. She gave him the tools to think beyond it.
Conclusion
If you took away anything from this piece from Born a Crime let it drive home the idea that parents can love their children dearly but nothing is more important to pass down to your kids than curiosity, a strong will, and critical thinking.
Trevor Noah didn’t just become a brilliant writer, comedian, and host of the world’s biggest TV show by luck. He became who he is today because of one incredibly strong mother who taught him that reading was the key to free your mind long before you could set your body free.
Education is the best equalizer we have in this world, which is why Born a Crime will remain a motivational story for everyone who reads its pages. Remember books change lives and one strong parent can change the world.
