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A Carnival of Snackery

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris, Tracey Ullman
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Publisher's Summary

There's no right way to keep a diary, but if there's an entertaining way, David Sedaris seems to have mastered it.

If it's navel-gazing you're after, you've come to the wrong place; ditto treacly self-examination. Rather, his observations turn outward: a fight between two men on a bus, a fight between two men on the street; collecting Romanian insults, or being taken round a Japanese parasite museum. There's a dirty joke shared at a book signing, then a dirtier one told at a dinner party - lots of jokes here. Plenty of laughs.

These diaries remind you that you once really hated George W. Bush, and that not too long ago, Donald Trump was a harmless laughingstock, at least on French TV. Time marches on, and Sedaris, at his desk or on planes, in fine hotel dining rooms and Serbian motels, records it. The entries here reflect an ever-changing background - new administrations, new restrictions on speech and conduct. What you can say at the start of the book, you can't by the end.

Sedaris has been compared to Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams, Lewis Carroll and a 'sexy Alan Bennett'. A Carnival of Snackery illustrates that he is very much his own singular self.

©2021 David Sedaris (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic Reviews

"Could there be a more delightful American import than the memoirist David Sedaris? Not since the peanut butter and jelly sandwich have we inherited something so sweet and comforting yet so wickedly naughty." (The Times)

"So often Sedaris's phrasing is beautiful in its piquancy and minimalism.... His life is extraordinary in so many ways - the drug addiction, the eccentric family, the crazy jobs, the fame, the globetrotting - but one of the more unlikely achievements here is in making it all seem quite ordinary. Ultimately, his masterstroke is in acting as a bystander in his own story." (Book of the Day, Guardian)

What listeners say about A Carnival of Snackery

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

Like Theft by Finding this is a delight to behold! The inclusion of Tracey Ullman was inspired, I am still laughing at her retelling of David's encounter with Bramble - Brramble. I have enjoyed the many hours of having these two accompanying me as I go about my day - I will miss them.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant

David has such a way with words. Loved every moment of this book and was thankful it was so long. I didn’t want it to end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Another Fine Curated Collection from Sudaris

Simple enough to say that anyone enjoying David's delivery & work will be amply satisfied with this diarised life telling. Highly Recommended

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A breath of fresh air

The worst part of any price if writing from David Sedaris is finishing it and realising I have to wait another few years to hear more.

This book kept me thoroughly entertained and it was nice to hear David’s perspective on the craziness of the last few years. Thank you David, as always for making my life a little brighter while listening to this book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Funny and illuminating but…

I loved the content as always but wish Tracey Ulman hadn’t been used for the UK parts. There was nothing wrong with her performance except that she isn’t David. His voice is half the fun.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Perfection

Thank you David. As ever a wonderful and entertaining book. Tracy ullman’s contribution was also excellent. Look forward to whatever next you create.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Pure Joy!!

Loved Tracy, Loved David a sheer delight. The stories do not disappoint I laughed, I cried and received a few weird looks when listened to it in the bus when Iaughed out loud. Thank you David Sedaris xx

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved Sedaris again

Loved this. I grew to appreciate Tracey Ullman's narration, despite always choosing to listen to Sedaris' works because of his voice and delivery. I do think she should have been listed as a narrator however.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unfortunately not all performed by David

I always look forward to listening to David read his stories, so was very disappointed to realise he had employed other actors to perform his stories where he felt their accents would better serve the story. While I understand why he did this, I was didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as him reading them himself. Particularly, because of COVID-19, he hasn’t planned a book tour to Australia yet, I was really looking forward to his performance of his writing on audible. This stories, as always, did not disappoint. While it was a long book, it felt like it was over quickly, much to my dismay! Now the waiting begins for the next instalment

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Prefer David to read 1st person parts

Nothing against Tracey Ullman who is great in her own right but it was weird hearing her providing David's 'voice' which didn't sound like him and had an English affect that David doesn't. Her other characters' voices were fine but the thing I love about David's audiobooks is his first person narrative. If Tracey did other voices the way Amy Sedaris had in an earlier book, I think that would have worked, but for me, I lost the very essence of David when Tracey was reading and I found my focus wandering away from the stories she read.

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