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Calypso

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris
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Publisher's Summary

A New York Times Notable Book of 2018

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 realization: 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 realize 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.

©2018 David Sedaris (P)2018 Hachette Audio UK

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 listeners say about Calypso

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    5 out of 5 stars

What’s not to like ?

I must be one of those bias people. I really enjoy David’s writing and narrating. I don’t think anyone else could read his stories. As l was listing to this book I had to stop walking as I laughing to myself and thought I would pee my pants. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid Sedaris. Hilarious late middle age memoir.

Excellent as expected. I prefer Sedaris's memoirs on Audio because his narration adds so much more intimacy and performance to it.

Covering his late middle age issues Calypso isn't my favourite but is none the less very memorable and full of chuckles.

There are plenty of heavy topics in this serving. The suicide of his sister, his deteriorating father, his own failing health. Covered with the right mix of pathos and perspective they are still light enough for a laugh.

There are also many highlights on lighter topics such as an international survey of road rage slurs, unexpected bowel movements and David's determined mission to feed a snapping turtle a pound of his own flesh... For whatever reason. I laughed out loud numerous times at the gym while listening to these chapters.

You simply cannot go wrong with Sedaris. While not his most jovial or insightful, it is a new, more mature (sometimes), era of his writing.

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1 person found this helpful

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  • HF
  • 07-09-2018

Loved it, loved it, loved it

I've glanced at the bits and pieces of David Sedaris's writing before and enjoyed it well enough, but never got the absolute devotion of his fans. Well I do now.

To be frank, when I listened to the sample I wasn't sure I would want to listen to his delivery at length, but then I laughed and laughed again, and went ahead and got the audiobook. I absolutely loved it. So much so, I bought a copy of the book as a birthday present the next week. I eked it out towards the end so it wouldn't be done with, and now I'm about to get more of his audiobooks.

It has made me laugh aloud so many times, but there's also touching and revealing sections, which are brilliantly judged. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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Fun "read"

I enjoyed David's prose and use of language. The honest and touching rendition of inside one's family.

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Chris Queensland

Sedaris at his best, funny and touching and very thought provoking, a family we all can
Relate too

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I loved this so much

Brilliant, touching and hilarious. The authors narration was perfection. I can't wait to listen again.

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Loved it !

Absolutely loved this book. I could listen to Sedaris talk forever :) I heard a couple of the stories before but I didn’t mind, still had me laughing out loud
As a Book publicist - he would be my dream author to go work a tour with.

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  • 16-06-2018

Total joy

For fans, there really is nothing to say really except David wrote another collection of stories and he’s reading them himself.

For newcomers I’d say start with his book ‘Naked’ so you have some context for the family Sedaris.

How rare and wonderful to know, with absolute certainty, that you will love a book, and more importantly the voice that is reading it will be perfect. And it is.

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David’s latest morsel is delicious!

I love David‘s life observations and how he makes the minutiae appear fascinating. His take on gay marriage (chapter 10) particularly resonated... nobody has distilled the issues so clearly, had me cheering in agreement and laughing all the way!

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Typically entertaining

Really enjoyed this work. I've never been disappointed by a David Sedaris book. Totally relatable and reliable. Loved it.

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