Kasher in the Rye

The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16

By: Moshe Kasher

Narrated by: Moshe Kasher

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

“The finest, most moving and powerful memoir I have ever read.”—MAYIM BIALIK

Rising young comedian Moshe Kasher is lucky to be alive. He started using drugs when he was just 12. At that point, he had already been in psychoanlysis for 8 years. By the time he was 15, he had been in and out of several mental institutions, drifting from therapy to rehab to arrest to...you get the picture. But Kasher in the Rye is not an "eye opener" to the horrors of addiction. It's a hilarious memoir about the absurdity of it all.

When he was a young boy, Kasher's mother took him on a vacation to the West Coast. Well it was more like an abduction. Only not officially. She stole them away from their father and they moved to Oakland , California. That's where the real fun begins, in the war zone of Oakland Public Schools. He was more than just out of control-his mother walked him around on a leash, which he chewed through and ran away.

Brutally honest and laugh-out-loud funny, Kasher's first literary endeavor finds humor in even the most horrifying situations.

©2012 Moshe Kasher (P)2012 Hachette

Critic reviews

“Kasher narrates his unlikely odyssey in surprisingly arresting, and successful, literary terms. . . riotously funny . . .searingly truthful.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Kasher’s stream-of-consciousness writing, coupled with vivid dialogue, make for an emotional story. . . . It is not easy for addicts to dig deep into their emotional truth about their experiences, but Kasher does a remarkable job and should be applauded.”—Washington Post

“A compelling memoir . . . .written in Kasher’s distinctly witty and often frantic narrative voice.”—L.A. Weekly

Wow

As a former drug user, it's so awesome to hear stories of people who have recovered and made something amazing out of their life. To learn about the upbringing by two deaf parents and struggling through the education system. It's just awesome to see him where he is now. Moshe is a hilarious and well-written author, and I love the emotion and wit in the way he reads. Will definitely be listening to this one again.

Being read one's difficult and long gone memories

Thank you Moshe for your incredible and unexpectedly painful story, it's been an intense journey. I've loved your work long before discovering this book, and now I appreciate what you managed to turn yourself into even more.

Fascinating insight

I sought this audio book out after starting the print version. I love Moshe as a comedian and performer, and I wanted to hear him read his book, in fact I started an Audible membership solely for Moshe Kasher’s book.
Listening to him tell his story, in his voice, made the experience so personal and really helped me connect to his story.
It was a fascinating look inside someone’s history, and the way they navigate life.

I recommend this to everyone, I think anyone could get something out of it.

Don’t sleep on it

Been a fan of Kasher’s for a while. Love the standup, the podcast(s), etc, but I neglected his book. I started listening, and didn’t listen to anything else for two days. Heck, I stopped watching Tiger King. I got annoyed when anyone tried to talk to me while listening. I listened to it in the shower. I listened to it endlessly until the end. Well-crafted, smart writing, what are you waiting for? And, what a buttery voice!

Great story teller

I already enjoy the content I've heard from Moshe Kasher, and this is a fantastic stand-alone addition to all of the other amazing things he creates.

moshe killed it.

been a big fan of Moshe Kasher for a while. What a heart-wrenching relatable story for myself a fellow teenage fuck up. I only had to deal with the social side of being a fuck up not the academic side. what a strong dude took him out of that on the other side an egomaniac I'm lucky enough to be the same way. great comedy Moshe, even better book. Damn I love this guy on stage and especially on the Rogan podcast.

It worth the hype!

The story is amazing, the author as narrator for the audio book made it even more enjoyable. Many laugh out loud parts, so beware if you are listening on public transit!

My new favorite find!

The narration was perfect. The story was engaging. There was never a dull moment where I found myself zoning out. Although the authors past was tragic and heartbreaking, they still managed to tell all their tales with a tone of humor, almost in a stand up fashion. I even found myself laughing at some parts. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good read. I listened on a road-trip because of a tiktok recommendation, so glad I did! 🙌🏻👏🏻

music and voice

i loved the music between chapters and the authors voice in reading his own work.

Big fan of Moshe's

Would you consider the audio edition of Kasher in the Rye to be better than the print version?

I haven't seen the print version, so I'm not sure I can accurately answer this, but I was a little disappointed in the audio version. I don't know if he was trying to compensate for his slight lisp (which I adore, btw) or if he was reacting to the feedback of others, but I felt like he was over-enunciating and it just sounded slightly awkward. I usually love his delivery during stand up, and this just felt a little more... robotic than that.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved his stories about being Jewish, and I really did appreciate his explanation of both growing up w/ a parent who forced pop psychology on him as well as how addiction takes you down. I can relate to both of those last two things!

What three words best describe Moshe Kasher’s voice?

In this book? Stiff, robotic, not natural. Usually, though, I love it!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I enjoyed it, but the stories began to be so similar after a while that I had to take breaks. But I loved coming back to it every time! I listened to it in about 3 days.

Any additional comments?

I thought the book was extremely powerful and I enjoyed it. Hands down, I really enjoyed it. I don't think it will be for everyone, but I related to it in a lot of ways and I learned a lot from it. I'm a huge fan of Moshe Kasher and will always support his efforts by buying his stuff or seeing him live when I can. Knowing more about his origin story has given me an even deeper appreciation of him and his humor and success. I grew up with a disabled parent. Even though she wasn't deaf, I can relate to A LOT of the things he says about her. And while my struggles in school were different, I also know what it's like to get lost in the system. And addiction... well, I know that one well, too. So this book was very dear to me in many ways.