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Calypso
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funny and often disturbing
- By Marcus on 17-07-13
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Not what you might be expecting...
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Utterly wonderful!
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Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
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In his newest collection of essays, David Sedaris lifts the corner of ordinary life, revealing the absurdity teeming below its surface. His world is alive with obscure desires and hidden motives, a world where forgiveness is automatic and an argument can be the highest form of love. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is another unforgettable collection from one of the wittiest and most original writers at work today.
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Outstandingly sad, funny and bitchy family life
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Naked
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Welcome to the hilarious, strange, elegiac, outrageous world of David Sedaris. In Naked, Sedaris turns the current mania for the memoir on its proverbial ear, mining the exceedingly rich terrain of his life, his family, and his unique worldview, a sensibility at once take-no-prisoners sharp and deeply charitable.
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Even better in audio
- By Paul on 24-03-06
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Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
- By: David Sedaris
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Overall
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Performance
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A guy walks into a bar.From here, the story could take many turns. A guy walks into a bar and meets the love of his life. A guy walks into a bar and finds no one else is there. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humour and intelligence and leave you deeply moved. In Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy. The common thread? Sedaris masterfully turns each episode into a love story: how it feels to be in a relationship where one loves and is loved over many years, what it means to be part of a family, and how it's possible, through all of life's absurdities, to accept oneself. With Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, David Sedaris shows once again why he has been called 'A humorist par excellence, he can make Woody Allen appear ham-tongued, Oscar Wilde a drag' (Observer).
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funny and often disturbing
- By Marcus on 17-07-13
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Theft by Finding
- Diaries: Volume One
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
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For nearly four decades, David Sedaris has faithfully kept a diary in which he records his thoughts and observations on the odd and funny events he witnesses. Anyone who has attended a live Sedaris event knows that his diary readings are often among the most joyful parts of the evening. But never before have they been available in print or audio.
-
-
Not what you might be expecting...
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When You Are Engulfed in Flames
- By: David Sedaris
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Taking in the parasitic worm that once lived in his mother-in-law's leg, an encounter with a dingo and the purchase of a human skeleton, and culminating in a brilliant account of his attempt to quit smoking - in Tokyo - David Sedaris' sixth story collection is a fresh masterpiece of comic writing.
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Utterly wonderful!
- By Shirley on 01-11-08
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Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
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- Narrated by: David Sedaris
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Overall
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Performance
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In his newest collection of essays, David Sedaris lifts the corner of ordinary life, revealing the absurdity teeming below its surface. His world is alive with obscure desires and hidden motives, a world where forgiveness is automatic and an argument can be the highest form of love. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is another unforgettable collection from one of the wittiest and most original writers at work today.
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Outstandingly sad, funny and bitchy family life
- By Kaggy on 06-08-16
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Me Talk Pretty One Day
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
David Sedaris' collection of essays - including live recordings! - tells a most unconventional life story. With every clever turn of a phrase, Sedaris brings a view and a voice like no other to every unforgettable encounter.
-
-
Absolutely hilarious
- By Tracey on 06-01-10
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Naked
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris, Amy Sedaris
- Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Welcome to the hilarious, strange, elegiac, outrageous world of David Sedaris. In Naked, Sedaris turns the current mania for the memoir on its proverbial ear, mining the exceedingly rich terrain of his life, his family, and his unique worldview, a sensibility at once take-no-prisoners sharp and deeply charitable.
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Even better in audio
- By Paul on 24-03-06
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Holidays on Ice
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris, Amy Sedaris, Ann Magnuson
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
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Holidays on Ice collects six of David Sedaris' most profound Christmas stories into one volume. This drinking-man's companion can be enjoyed by the warmth of a fire, the glow of a brilliantly decorated tree, or even in the backseat of a police car. Here is the timeless "SantaLand Diaries", which immortalised the struggle of department store elves the world over. Here is "Dinah, the Christmas Whore", in which the Sedaris family opens its heart to an unexpected, almost Mary Magdalene-like visitor. Plus five additional holiday-themed stories to make you ho ho ho.
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The subversive, funny, absurd side of Xmas
- By Jim Vaughan on 18-12-13
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Meet David Sedaris: Series One
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 1 hr and 52 mins
- Original Recording
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David Sedaris's remarkable ability to uncover the hilarious absurdity teeming just below the surface of everyday life is surpassed only by his ability to make his stories even moire hilarious when he reads them aloud. This is his first series for Radio 4, and he reads essays and diary entries from across all seven of his books.
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Still smiling
- By timothy on 06-11-17
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Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk
- A Wicked Bestiary
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 3 hrs
- Unabridged
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The brilliantly quirky David Sedaris returns with a book of acerbic and outrageously funny stories about animals who have unmistakably human failings.This collection of sharply observed animal-themed tales is a delight, told with David Sedaris’s trademark blend of hilarity and goodnaturedness. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of our own everyday interactions.
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Squirrel seeks his credit back
- By Jonathan G on 04-12-13
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David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 1 hr and 15 mins
- Abridged
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If you are driving, pull over. If you are at work, close your door, unless you don't mind your colleagues seeing you doubled over, in tears, on your office floor. With this recording, taped before a delirious sold out audience at Carnegie Hall, you are there as David Sedaris performs new stories from his upcoming book. A parrot who mimics an ice maker, lovers quarrelling over a rubber hand, and a Santa Claus who moonlights from his job as bishop of Turkey, the cast of characters is like no other.
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I love David Sedans
- By Pixie720 on 22-03-17
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Barrel Fever and Other Stories
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris, Amy Sedaris
- Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins
- Abridged
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In David Sedaris' world, no one is safe and no cow is sacred. A manic cross between Mark Leyner, Fran Lebowitz, and the National Enquirer, Sedaris' collection of essays is a rollicking tour through the national Zeitgeist: a do-it-yourself suburban dad saves money by performing home surgery; a man who is loved too much flees the heavyweight champion of the world; a teenage suicide tries to incite a lynch mob at her funeral; a bitter Santa abuses the elves.
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Attempting Normal
- By: Marc Maron
- Narrated by: Marc Maron
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Marc Maron was a parent-scarred, angst-filled, drug-dabbling, love-starved comedian who dreamed of a simple life: a wife, a home, a sitcom to call his own. But instead he woke up one day to find himself fired from his radio job, surrounded by feral cats, and emotionally and financially annihilated by a divorce from a woman he thought he loved. He tried to heal his broken heart through whatever means he could find - minor-league hoarding, Viagra addiction, accidental racial profiling, cat fancying, flying airplanes with his mind - but nothing seemed to work. It was only when he was stripped down to nothing that he found his way back.
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loved it
- By The Reluctant Hermit on 07-01-14
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David Sedaris
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- Length: 1 hr and 14 mins
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LIVE recordings of new, previously unreleased David Sedaris stories!
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No chair by the fire is complete without it!
- By Annette Curtain on 24-12-12
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The Largesse of the Sea Maiden
- By: Denis Johnson
- Narrated by: Nick Offerman, Michael Shannon, Dermot Mulroney, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson, read by Nick Offerman, Michael Shannon, Dermot Mulroney, Will Patton, and Liev Schreiber. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden is the long-awaited new story collection from Denis Johnson, author of the groundbreaking, highly acclaimed Jesus' Son.
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Bewitching, slow and intense
- By Liz Scully on 28-05-18
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Lincoln in the Bardo
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Unfolding in a graveyard over the course of a single night, narrated by a dazzling chorus of voices, Lincoln in the Bardo is a literary experience unlike any other, for no one but Saunders could conceive it. February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln's beloved 11-year-old son, Willie, dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery.
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Mistake
- By L on 13-07-17
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HELP
- By: Simon Amstell
- Narrated by: Simon Amstell
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Comedy, Tragedy, Therapy. Simon Amstell did his first stand-up gig at the age of 13. His parents had just divorced, and puberty was confusing. Trying to be funny solved everything. Read by Simon Amstell, and interspersed with footage from his stand-up tours, HELP is the hilarious and heartbreaking account of Simon's ongoing compulsion to reveal his entire self onstage. To tell the truth so it can't hurt him anymore. Loneliness, anxiety, depression - this book has it all. And more.
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Great stuff but just so little thats new.
- By Mr. A. P. Barker on 21-09-17
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Normal People
- By: Sally Rooney
- Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years. This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person's life - a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us - blazingly - about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege.
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It plunges under your skin and invades you.
- By Wras on 18-10-18
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Becoming
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 19 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites listeners into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms.
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Such a human story
- By Amy Featherstone on 03-12-18
Summary
If you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you're getting with Calypso. You'd be wrong.
When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realisation: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself.
With Calypso, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny - it's a book that can make you laugh 'til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris's writing has never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous moment when your own body betrays you and you realise that the story of your life is made up of more past than future.
This is beach reading for people who detest beaches, required reading for those who loathe small talk and love a good tumour joke. Calypso is simultaneously Sedaris's darkest and warmest book yet - and it just might be his very best.
Critic reviews
"Unquestionably the king of comic writing...Calypso is both funnier and more heartbreaking than pretty much anything out there." (Hadley Freeman, Guardian)
“In Calypso, David Sedaris’s essays marry meditations on family, suicide, grief and mortality with the hazards of bodily functions and frequent travel for his massively popular public readings. Sedaris is as much standup comic as writer, making this a great audio and one for the car journey.” (Aminatta Forna)
What members say
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- P. Lee
- Sproughton, Suffolk, UK
- 08-06-18
Rrpeat repeat
I was disappointed to discover I have heard a lot of this material before. I think as parts of the bbc‘s ‘Meet David Sedaris’ series. Low rating for story is because it isn’t one so really this is not applicable. This is still laugh out loud funny though and the new material I really enjoyed. Particularly the touching piece about his sitter Tiffany.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
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- JJ
- 04-06-18
A 'laugh out loud' treat!
As always, David Sedaris entertains and his frankness, humour and sensitivity, plus his obvious love for his family and loved ones, shines through in Calypso. However, having read/listened to almost everything he has written, I was a little dissapointed that some stories from previous books are included in this one and this leaves me feeling slightly short changed.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
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- Antonio
- 21-07-18
One of his best
Totally loved this book. Tender, observant and frequently hilarious. I’ve read everything he’s written and this is one of his best
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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- Harold Hughes
- West Sussex, UK
- 20-07-18
Always A Five Star Experience
It’s David Sedaris, what more do you need to know. Brilliant observational comedic writing read as always wonderfully by the man himself.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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- Nina
- 15-08-18
Not what I expected but thoroughly enjoyed it.
when I bought this I was expecting I different type if humour. However, I did thoroughly enjoy it. I felt it was very true to life and I could relate to a number of his stories, or could see other family members doing similar things. Due to it being a very real account of his life some parts are very emotional .
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Scott Evans
- 02-08-18
laughed out loud on the train..<br />
laughed out loud in the train and was stared at by some people who thought I was mad
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Elvisthecat
- 27-07-18
Dry humour at its very best
Sedaris is, in my opinion, a genius in writing. His darkly comic observations on all aspects of life, from rubbish collection to suicide, are handled in a way that neither disregards decency or humour. While we may not all share in his life experience, the open and unfiltered accounts he give leave the reader with the feeling of stepping in and out of someone else’s life and mind. Furthermore, his execution emphasises every possible piece of comedy and is even better as an audiobook than a written novel for it. As his most recent work (in 2018), it focuses more on middle age so I might consider downloading some of his earlier works first if you are new to him, but you will not miss out by starting with ‘Calypso’ either. So, unless you are extremely squeamish, this should be a compulsory listen.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Cyan
- 22-07-18
A heartwarming and smile inducing listen
As a fan of Sedaris' work, this didn't disappoint. If you've enjoyed his other books, I see no reason why this would be any different!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Whistling Woman
- worcestershire uk
- 02-06-18
Another Slice of Sedaris Life
More essays about the life of David Sedaris and the characters that inhabit it, mostly hysterically funny, sometimes piercingly poignant and very occasionally heartbreakingly sad. Never boring, that's for sure. I listened to this in two big chunks as I always feel, somehow, befriended by the author and wanting to join in the conversation. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-02-19
another fantastic sedaris collection
there's not much to say really. if you have read any Sedaris before you know what you're getting yourself into. this collecting centred around the idea of middle age is unbelievably funny and also extremely poignant points. Another Sedaris gem.
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- Tania
- 11-11-18
A laugh with a tear
This is now officially my favorite David Sedaris book. The audio version was great, and I would strongly recommend that you listen to the author tell these stories, as it really enhances the experience.
Sedaris has always been funny, but in Calypso there is always a keen sense of regret and/or sadness. Almost all the stories focus on his family, especially on his mom who passed away a few years ago and his sister who committed suicide. I laughed out loud and shed some tears, often doing both while listening to one paragraph.
This is probably not for everyone, but I think it takes quite a bit of talent to write about nothing and still make it interesting, humorous and touching.
#Memoir #Funny #Author-narrated #Family-focus #Recommended #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes
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- Tim
- 12-10-18
Mundane. Sedaris on boring subjects
Big Sedaris fan. But this a drag. Hit wit and storytelling is buried underneath the mundane and boring subject matter. Tried 3 times to finish. But can’t
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-07-18
Funny and sad
Really funny but also surprisingly sad, probably because even though my family and life are pretty different, it was so easy to relate to.
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- J. Ryan
- 16-06-18
Better than ever!
Wonderful stories by DAVID Sedaris again. Funny and poignant and intimate and just wonderful. Best yet.
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- Theunis
- 10-06-18
Enjoyed everything except...
the live recordings. It was still classical Sedaris, but I found the audience’s laughing inappropriate at times