Fresh Off the Boat

A Memoir

By: Eddie Huang

Narrated by: Eddie Huang

NOW AN ORIGINAL SERIES ON ABC • “Just may be the best new comedy of [the year] . . . based on restaurateur Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same name . . . [a] classic fresh-out-of-water comedy.”—People

“Bawdy and frequently hilarious . . . a surprisingly sophisticated memoir about race and assimilation in America . . . as much James Baldwin and Jay-Z as Amy Tan . . . rowdy [and] vital . . . It’s a book about fitting in by not fitting in at all.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS

Assimilating ain’t easy. Eddie Huang was raised by a wild family of FOB (“fresh off the boat”) immigrants—his father a cocksure restaurateur with a dark past back in Taiwan, his mother a fierce protector and constant threat. Young Eddie tried his hand at everything mainstream America threw his way, from white Jesus to macaroni and cheese, but finally found his home as leader of a rainbow coalition of lost boys up to no good: skate punks, dealers, hip-hop junkies, and sneaker freaks. This is the story of a Chinese-American kid in a could-be-anywhere cul-de-sac blazing his way through America’s deviant subcultures, trying to find himself, ten thousand miles from his legacy and anchored only by his conflicted love for his family and his passion for food. Funny, moving, and stylistically inventive, Fresh Off the Boat is more than a radical reimagining of the immigrant memoir—it’s the exhilarating story of every American outsider who finds his destiny in the margins.

Praise for Fresh Off the Boat

“Brash and funny . . . outrageous, courageous, moving, ironic and true.”—New York Times Book Review

“Mercilessly funny and provocative, Fresh Off the Boat is also a serious piece of work. Eddie Huang is hunting nothing less than Big Game here. He does everything with style.”—Anthony Bourdain

“Uproariously funny . . . emotionally honest.”—Chicago Tribune

“Huang is a fearless raconteur. [His] writing is at once hilarious and provocative; his incisive wit pulls through like a perfect plate of dan dan noodles.”—Interview

“Although writing a memoir is an audacious act for a thirty-year-old, it is not nearly as audacious as some of the things Huang did and survived even earlier. . . . Whatever he ends up doing, you can be sure it won’t look or sound like anything that’s come before. A single, kinetic passage from Fresh Off the Boat . . . is all you need to get that straight.”—Bookforum

Critic reviews

“Brash and funny . . . outrageous, courageous, moving, ironic and true.”—New York Times Book Review

“Mercilessly funny and provocative, Fresh Off the Boat is also a serious piece of work. Eddie Huang is hunting nothing less than Big Game here. He does everything with style.”—Anthony Bourdain

“Bawdy and frequently hilarious . . . a surprisingly sophisticated memoir about race and assimilation in America . . . as much James Baldwin and Jay-Z as Amy Tan . . . rowdy [and] vital . . . It’s a book about fitting in by not fitting in at all.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times

“Uproariously funny . . . emotionally honest.”—Chicago Tribune

“Huang is a fearless raconteur. [His] writing is at once hilarious and provocative; his incisive wit pulls through like a perfect plate of dan dan noodles.”—Interview

“Although writing a memoir is an audacious act for a thirty-year-old, it is not nearly as audacious as some of the things Huang did and survived even earlier. . . . Whatever he ends up doing, you can be sure it won’t look or sound like anything that’s come before. A single, kinetic passage from Fresh Off the Boat . . . is all you need to get that straight.”—Bookforum

Amazing

What I thought was going to be a simple "how i did it" memoir was so much more. Eddie's insights into race and culture are invaluable, and uniquely broadcast from his one-of-a-kind cadence and tone. Not only is the text itself a pleasure, but Eddie's reading of it is lively, entertaining, honest, and refreshing. He often goes "off-script" during the audiobook, elaborating in ways he doesn't in the printed version. He also genuinely re-experiences the moments he recalls, laughing along at funny stories, clearly affected by more troubling ones. As a result, this audiobook feels so much more like a conversation than any other I have listened to yet. Well done, Mr. Huang!

This book had me on the edge of tears the first couple chapters!

Loved the realness of Eddie's book can definitely relate the childhood stories with getting disciplined by an immigrant father who happened to be an alcoholic... Great inspirational book for real tho also motivates me to take a trip to NY from Cali just to try the Bous; Love the beef noodle soup recipe too oh and I learned the proper use of the semi colon aswell. Great Job

Dope.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - it's hilarious! Being an Asian American myself, I can totally relate to his upbringing and some of the feelings of being an outsider.

What other book might you compare Fresh Off the Boat to and why?

I just finished Kevin Hart's Life Lessons and you can expect the same ridiculousness in this book.

Everything I wanted and more.

I never write on these stupid things and I don't think I ever will again. Dude spoke to my soul with Killa Cam and Biggie lyrics. He pulled at my heart strings as he spit about food cooked the right way with Pac in is words. I had a crush before but I'm slick in love now lol. I'm a black chick and somehow he understands MY struggle in this world. This man could write a book about his toenail and I'll read it! I'm cooking the beef noodle soup recipe TONIGHT! Stand up Man....you ILL.

SO GOOD!

If you grew up in the 90s, you will absolutely love this. It's like you're listening to a friend's life story. When the book finished, I was kind of bummed we couldn't "hang out" anymore.