When You Are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris
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Book Rating (110)

Narrator Rating (4)

When You Are Engulfed in Flames

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Written By: David Sedaris

Narrated By: David Sedaris

Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA

Date: June 2008

Duration: 9 hours 5 minutes

Summary:

Trying to make coffee when the water is shut off, David considers using the water in a vase of flowers and his chain of associations takes him from the French countryside to a hilariously uncomfortable memory of buying drugs in a mobile home in rural North Carolina.
In this remarkable new volume, Sedaris proceeds from bizarre conundrums of daily life--having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger on a plane or armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds--to the most deeply resonant human truths. Culminating in a brilliant account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris's sixth collection is a new masterpiece of comic writing from "a writer worth treasuring" (Seattle Times).

Genres:

  • Peggy Stortz

    With a great variety of tales, Sedaris occasionally bored and frequently made me laugh so hard I couldn't even drive and had to pull over on the shoulder. Really this isn't a 4 star book, it's stories--some are 2's, some 3's, mostly 4's and a few fives.

    3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

  • Deb

    Quirky, serious, funny, sometimes laugh out loud. Very enjoyable!

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

  • Anonymous

    David Sedaris' willingness to admit his failings and present them in such a humorous way was delightful. I saw so much of myself in him, it helped me laugh at me.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

  • Anonymous

    I laughed out loud as I was driving down the highway. One of the great things about this audio book is that if you have someone riding with you, you can listen to a story, without having to start at the beginning of the audiobook. This is one of the funniest David Sedaris books that I have heard.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

  • Sharona

    I love David Sedaris. I've read his books for years, and was hesitant to buy an audio book, because often, when they are read by the author, what I found so funny when interpreted by the "voice in my head" is watered down, or even boring when the author reads the material... No so with Sedaris. I drive along, at 7:00 AM, laughing out loud, all alone in the car, at 70 mph on the Indiana Toll Road....a great start to another bizzare day. And on the same drive back, around 10PM, exhausted, I'm convinced I've found a kindred spirit. Read or listen to everything he's ever done....you won't be disappointed.

    3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

  • Anonymous

    Not a genre that I would normally choose. Well told, funny, honest and overall I enjoyed it. Something different.

  • Pam

    I love David Sedaris. Everything he says and does is wonderful and funny and insightful and funny. After reading everything he's written and listening to all his audiobooks, he feels like a friend...I wish he was! Love the guy.

  • Christine

    While I loved this book and laughed most of the way through, he really shined when performing in front of a live audience. I found the straight narration to be lacking the proper emphasis and pauses as one would with this type of story. When he was live, however, he had verve and instant feedback and it was electric. Either way is highly recommended.

  • jody

    I enjoyed this book just as much as I have enjoyed all of the rest of Sedaris' books. Can't wait for the next one.

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