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Fresh Off the Boat

A Memoir

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 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 Cooking Culinary Emigration & Immigration Entertainment & Celebrities Food & Wine Professionals & Academics Social Sciences Memoir Celebrity China Funny Biography Nonfiction

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
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The author blesses us with the story of his own life in his words with his voice.

Essential reading for anyone who has lived or is interested in the life of those who walk between worlds.

There are highs, so high, and the down low is dirty: raw; and challengingly real but the passions in Eddie's world draw you in through the darkest parts.

Food is a central theme, it is a metaphor and it is also the culture. The colourful descriptions bring flavour in to what should just be a story. Prepare to get hungry.

In his own words, Eddie's book is not THE voice of the ABC experience but it is a great voice and one that resonates with this BBC.

A relatable, inspirational tale for every banana!

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A great read. Eddie is a natural storyteller. He's inspired me to do my own thing too - not the safe choice but MY thing - just as Eddie did. He's funny and very brash and rude but we like him that way ("we" is my teenage son and I on our walk around the block, listening together). Eddie takes ZERO crap from anyone and that in itself is really inspiring. I wish I was like that. Ah no, I'm not too bad, getting better. He's a true American in the best sense even though he was very angry with America for all of his young life. Go Eddie!

Unmissable

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I absolutely loved this book, great story and it was only made better with Eddie's narration. It gave the book depth because it felt like he was telling me the story. Listened to this twice now and give it another year and I'd listen again. Very relatable with the hip hop references. A modern classic.

Awesome book, only made better with Eddie

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A real relatable story telling of Asian American identity - would highly recommended for all

must read

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If you get the title then you’ll get the book.

I have read the physical book of this twice and listened to it twice. Lent the book out and it never came back.
It’s one of my favourite, actually no, it IS my favourite autobiography of all time.

For those who understand what it feels like to not fit in, to have big dreams and think the best use of a Sunday is blunts & buns on a Pete Rock & CL Smooth flex - this book is for you.

Strictly for astronauts, those who like multi-tasking and Ghostface

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