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

A hopeful and inspiring "act of comedic magic" from comedian - and now memoirist! - Moshe Kasher (Artie Lange, number one New York Times best-selling author of Too Fat to Fish).

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 eight 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.

Those early years read like part Augusten Burroughs, part David Sedaris, with a touch of Jim Carrol...but a lot more Jewish. In fact, Kasher later spends time in a Brooklyn Hasidic community. Then came addicition...

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

An entirely difference

Would you listen to Kasher in the Rye again? Why?

Hearing Kasher read his own story was very emotional for me. I am a big fan of his comedy and now have an entirely different respect for him.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a classic story of a troubled child and his struggles to change. However, I did not find this repetitive or cheesy. The story was raw. With the luxury of having Moshe Kasher tell it with his own voice, you could feel how real his experiences were.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both. Kasher has a real talent to take a serious subject and finding humor in it (without making you feel bad for laughing).

Possibly the best book I've ever listened to

This is the first review I've ever left,
I felt I had to.
I am going through some heavy stuff with an addict in my life. I have read and listened to almost every book there is on drug addiction. I wanted something lighter but that still dealt with the crap going on in my real life. I am so glad I picked this book! It is hilarious! There were so many times I would just burst out laughing. It showed both the "fun" side of the beginning of addiction, then made the serious stuff funny as hell too.

Thank you for writing this book! As I said I am in a really dark place with "my" addict and your book helped me get through so many hard days. I found myself not wanting to listen because I didn't want it to be over... I still don't! I know it sounds cheesy but I wish I could express how much this book helped me. I cry a lot & your book took me out of that for a little bit each day. Thank you for sharing your story, thank you for making me smile, thank you for giving me hope.

A good guy, that's what you became.

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.

Loved this audiobook!

This is one of those books that I think is better as an audiobook. I really enjoyed hearing the author read his story. He has (not surprisingly) a great sense of humor and delivery.

I love well-written memoirs, and this is definitely among the best I've read. I am amazed that this guy made it out of childhood alive. A wonderful book—I loved every second of it.

A great tale of boy to half man ;)

Picked this up when I was 15, going through my own adolescent issues. I discovered Moshe this way as a stand up.

years later I was thrilled to see it on audible and hearing it from Moshe directly made it all the better. Really a good tale. I almost wish it was longer but that's me being selfish, had there been more, it implies a hope for more pain and suffering for Moshe, and I would literally never wish that on anyone.

Engaging and Eyepopping

Moshe Kasher did an amazing job at telling his story. I have a new admiration for anyone who is (please forgive me for taking this liberty) “learning atypical.” His story parallels the story of someone I know. Thanks to Kasher in the Rye, I can understand the life I witnessed. Now, I can work toward continued understanding. Thank you, Moshe Kasher.

Best memoir I have ever listened to

I have listened to a lot of audiobook memoirs but this one takes the cake. I love Moshe Kasher as a comedian and find him very funny, so I was thinking I’d read his book as an extension of his comedy. I was NOT expecting to be so gripped by his story. Hold onto your butts. It is quite a story he has lived, and Moshe tells it all with grace and humility — it’s real, honest and vulnerable. He takes some very heavy stuff and weaves it with a levity and clarity that was impressive. It is the only audiobook I’ve ever listened to that I felt fell into the category of page turner. 10/10.

Needs to be a Movie!

I'm a therapist who works in inpatient treatment with men who struggle with mental health and chemical dependency issues. I loved this book and the authors insights regarding addictive thinking and recovery. I'm hoping it will be a movie someday so I can show it to my clients. A hopeful, real, and sometimes painful book.

Wild, humorous, and strangely heartwarming

Kasher's story is outrageous. It's dark, about depression and drug addiction, about family and redemption, but it's told almost as a tall tale. I'm glad Kasher himself is reading the story, as he is a fantastic comedian, and I can't imagine anyone else telling it. I highly, highly recommend.

Crazy Story!

This was an amazing story and has made me an even bigger fan of Moshe Kasher than I already was. I'm glad he made it out alive to tell his story.