Reviewed by jesstheaudiobookworm on
There were still loads of laughs, though. During one particularly sleepless night, I laid in bed listening to this at 4 AM, laughing so hard that my pillow was wet with tears. There was something so refreshing about Eddie's way of storytelling. It was raw, unpolished, and entirely genuine. I felt his emotions.
Culturally, we have nothing in common, but I still found myself relating to Eddie. I loved hearing about his experiences growing up as a child in the 90s. That's the main reason I began that television show last year. However, hearing this audiobook made me realize how much of Eddie's story they had to tone down for television. The real Fresh Off the Boat is much more intense, making the ABC show look like Leave It to Beaver.
With every pop culture reference, I forged a stronger generational bond with Eddie Huang. The aforementioned 4 AM laughing spree was sparked by Eddie telling how he tortured his younger brother by holding him down and putting Nickelodeon Gak in his hair (remember Gak?).
I also related to him as a young adult. His reflections on the 2008 presidential election nearly brought me to tears. Eddie voiced feelings about that time that a lot of people can relate to. Most of Eddie's feelings and experiences are specifically tied to his being Chinese-American, but I definitely think that those from other cultures and minorities will be able to see pieces of their own stories reflected in Eddie's experiences.
Eddie speaks candidly of a deeply-rooted issue in America thats effects transcend one culture (racial stereotyping). He addressed this issue in a way everyone can understand, even if they haven't personally experienced its effects. That's more than I could ever do and I applaud Eddie's courage.
This didn't come across as a politically-motivated memoir, but it approached politically-sensitive issues. My favorite point Eddie made was saying that stereotyping is harmful because it has the power to create self-fulfilling prophecies. I had to stop the audiobook after that and reflect on what was just said.
In all, Fresh Off the Boat was much deeper than I was expecting. It was part politics, part comedy, and part cookbook. Personally, I could have done without so much of the cooking talk, but that's understandable since he's a chef (a fact of which I was previously unaware).
I learned so much about Eddie as an individual and about Chinese culture. I knew next to nothing about Chinese food and culture before beginning this memoir, so Fresh Off the Boat served as my introduction. Eddie's experiences were incredibly eye-opening. There was something powerful about reading a memoir from someone (nearly) my own age. Knowing that he and I grew up around the same time, yet with completely different cultural backgrounds, helped me to appreciate his story even more.
Narration review: Eddie Huang narrated this audiobook. He opened it by breaking down the fourth wall and speaking directly to the listener about being in the recording studio. That introduction set the tone for the rest of the audiobook. Throughout the ensuing eight hours, it felt as if Eddie was speaking directly to me. His delivery was relaxed and casual. The best thing about his narration was when he would crack himself up telling a joke or funny story. His laughter was infectious and always got me laughing too.
Eddie also does the voiceover for the television adaptation, so I recognized his voice immediately. He didn't have the largest tonal range, so it was a little hard to distinguish who was speaking during his anecdotes, but that's not a huge detraction here. I overwhelmingly recommend hearing this on audiobook. ♣︎
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 27 June, 2017: Finished reading
- 27 June, 2017: Reviewed