Feh

A Memoir

By: Shalom Auslander

Narrated by: Shalom Auslander

From the acclaimed author of Foreskin’s Lament, a memoir of the author’s attempt to escape the biblical story he’d been raised on and his struggle to construct a new story for himself and his family

Shalom Auslander was raised like a veal in a dysfunctional family in the Orthodox community of Monsey, New York: the son of an alcoholic father; a guilt-wielding mother; and a violent, overbearing God. Now, as he reaches middle age, Auslander begins to suspect that what plagues him is something worse, something he can't so easily escape: a story. The story. One indelibly implanted in him at an early age, a story that told him he is fallen, broken, shameful, disgusting, a story we have all been told for thousands of years, and continue to be told by the religious and secular alike, a story called "Feh."

Yiddish for "Yuck."

Feh follows Auslander's midlife journey to rewrite that story, a journey that involves Phillip Seymour Hoffman, a Pulitzer-winning poet, Job, Arthur Schopenhauer, GHB, Wolf Blitzer, Yuval Noah Harari and a pastor named Steve in a now-defunct church in Los Angeles.

Can he move from Feh to merely meh? Can he even dream of moving beyond that?

Auslander's recounting of his attempt to exorcize the story he was raised with—before he implants it onto his children and/or possibly poisons the relationship of the one woman who loves him—isn’t sacred. It is more-than-occasionally profane. And like all his work, it is also relentlessly funny, subversively heartfelt and fearlessly provocative.

©2024 Shalom Auslander (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Honest and moving memoir

Auslander both includes and transcends the fascinating “theological abuse” of his ultra-orthodox Jewish upbringing, with an honest look at both his own life, and the life of the culture we live in, and how the stories we tell, from the religious to the pecuniary, influence how we see ourselves and each other. Auslander brings the reader through his own suffering to a realization of the personal and social importance of compassion, all the while keeping it hilariously funny.

Deep. Wonderful writing.

He will be a celebrated author and philosopher after being dead for a few years. And, if there is a God, die penniless and miserable. I can't do this book any justice here with my writing skillset but I'm going to listen to this book again to savor his. Buy it.

Feh Recognize Feh

This story gives every Feh hope despite the pessimistic overtone. The author challenges the story he was taught, which in turn, causes the reader to question the stories they were taught. Rewriting one’s story is an act of courage but it's far from easy as illustrated in Feh. Still, humankind yearns for something more authentic and questioning what we were told, especially that which no longer serves us, is the beginning of healing and living life more intentionally.

Cynical but fun

I heard him doing an interview just before the book came out, liked his take on religion.

Depressing at times, other times light hearted, but always interesting and entertaining. There were a few moments where I laughed out loud, which is rare for me. Definitely walked away from this one with some things to think about.

Feh’s unite!

I’m late the party for the brilliant Shalom Auslander - but this book is funny and sad and hard and funny and relatable and dark and depressing and funny and also funny. Even late, I’m so glad I made it to the party.

Loved it!

A tale for our times and our collective wounds so that we might just get a few minutes of peace.

Dark humor , philosophy course 501

Moments of out loud laughter, love Auslsnder’s voice , spoiler: it ends on a hopeful note

Glad that I stayed with it to the end.

Enjoyed hearing the authors’s voice. it can be a tough listen at the beginning and then gets better and better and better all the way to the end.

Good, really good

The first and only review that was written when I downloaded this story said it was ‘boring.’ Not at all, and I too had only heard of this author from the Fresh Air interview. Play it at a 1.2 speed and it is anything but boring. 5 stars

honesty of author

not now, later after reading by eyes. maybe in a week or so. o do not want author will read it and say feh
few