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Naked  By  cover art

Naked

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris,Amy Sedaris
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Publisher's summary

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. A tart-tongued mother does dead-on imitations of her young son's nervous tics, to the great amusement of his teachers; a stint of Kerouackian wandering is undertaken (of course!) with a quadriplegic companion. Through it all is Sedaris's unmistakable voice, without a doubt one of the freshest in American writing.
©1997 David Sedaris (P)1998, 2001 Time Warner AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"Sidesplitting." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Genuinely funny, at times hilarious....Makes for a smashing use of audio as a unique entertainment medium....Highly likable and spirited throughout...makes a case for audio as its own special form." (Publishers Weekly)
"Sedaris is a gifted satirist with an uncanny knack for re-creating dialogue and revealing fantasies....Brutally honest and brilliantly eloquent, Sedaris is positively tonic." (Booklist)

What listeners say about Naked

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    2,438
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  • 2 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    1,800
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not the whole book

What disappointed you about Naked?

This audiobook is lacking some chapters of the actual printed book... I was reading it on paper but after several days of not picking it up I realized I was never going to finnish it, I was too disinterested. Normally I would just start another book but since I have listened to some of David's readings I thought I should finnish it as an audiobook. And oh surprise! the chapter I was in is not even on this audiobook.

I didn't listen to the whole book, but I'm sure it's lacking at least these chapters:

Dinah, the Christmas Whore
Planet of the Apes
The Incomplete Quad
C.O.G.
Something for Everyone

Now that I think about it it's obvious, it's impossible for it to be complete and 3 hours long.

What did you like best about this story?

The story is pretty funny in a way only David Sedaris can be.

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71 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

My Favorite Sedaris

I have all of David Sedaris's books (and I love them all), but I think this is his funniest and most poignant. He really is a wonderful writer and observer of human nature and I recommend all of his work to anyone who enjoys a quirky sense of humor.

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44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it.

I still wish we could get unabridged versions of Sedaris' books, because I really wanted this one to go on much longer! From obsessive compulsive behavior to the most awkward wedding party ever, Naked is a real treat for fans. I know David Sedaris isn't for everyone, but for those who like his work, this is no exception.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Honest & Sincere

This is a collection of brutally honest autobiographical stories of David Sedaris' upbrining and life. We sometimes found ourselves wincing at his childhood accounts and then laughing the next moment at the author's way of finding the wry humor in otherwise disturbing events. My husband and I would look at each other and say, "Jeez, we thought OUR families were crazy. They were Ozzy and Harriet compared to this guy's family!" As always, his tales are sincere and humorous and perfectly delivered.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, as usual.

I'm sorry, I can't write a review right now, I'm too busy laughing............if you get David's humor, his books are just too much fun. Far better on Audible with David narrating.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking, but...

I remember reading a few chapters out of the book and laughing out loud. This was not the case when I was listening to this audiobook. I'm not sure if it's the narration but I didnt laugh as much throughout the listening process.

Despite not laughing as much, the book was very enjoyable as Sedaris points out the many humorous side of what may seem like a tragic family. Families are quarky and odd. Sedaris has an artful way of bring insight and truths about life and family to the listener. It's a worthwhile listen.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I wish there was an UNABRIDGED version available

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, but it is ABRIDGED! It's missing a lot of the essays from the book :(

What did you like best about this story?

I love Sedaris - wanted MORE. This version is quite short.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

love it!

I keep going back and listening to parts of this book, and never fail to laugh! I enjoy his narration and his storytelling just can't be beat. Sometimes I just couldn't believe he would say/do such a thing, but it is a fun kind of astonishment. While he never seems to run out of material from his family and his relationship, I like that he's going out creating new adventures to share with his loyal readers.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book, but heavily abridged.

8 out of 17 chapters are removed. This completely shifts the story from what should have been a Kerouac style journey of a young man, to a series of sad reflections of an abusive childhood. The last chapter is great, but without the context of his post-childhood life it feels out of place.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

A mystery

When I read the glowing reviews of the book, I looked forward to hearing it. I was looking for something funny and it looked promising. What I didn't understand was how something could be very funny to one person and not another. I didn't find the book humorous and as a result it was difficult even to finish. If you already know David's humor parhaps it is a good choice. If you don't, you may want to learn more before you commit to this book.

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5 people found this helpful