When You Are Engulfed in Flames

By: David Sedaris

Narrated by: David Sedaris

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Once again, David Sedaris brings together a collection of essays so uproariously funny and profoundly moving that his legions of fans will fall for him all over again.

He tests the limits of love when Hugh lances a boil from his backside, and pushes the boundaries of laziness when, finding the water shut off in his house in Normandy, he looks to the water in a vase of fresh cut flowers to fill the coffee machine.

From armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds, to the awkwardness of having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a sleeping fellow passenger on a plane, David Sedaris uses life's most bizarre moments to reach new heights in understanding love and fear, family and strangers.

Culminating in a brilliantly funny account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris' sixth essay collection has been avidly anticipated.

©2008 David Sedaris (P)2008 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

2008 Grammy Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album

"Older, wiser, smarter and meaner, Sedaris...defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." (Kirkus Reviews)
"This latest collection proves that not only does Sedaris still have it, but he's also getting better....Sedaris's best stuff will still - after all this time - move, surprise, and entertain." (Booklist)

Best voice ever

No one better David Sedaris you make a difference and I hope you never stop writing and sharing.

Brilliant, Hilarious And Educational, As Always

I absolutely love how this author's mind works! His view of the word is so insightful and entertaining.

Sedaris always delivers

The world is so much more interesting and funny a place thanks to David Sedaris’ stories — as are my walks while listening to him narrate them.

Smokin'

A new book is always a little scary to the author's fans. You've so been looking forward to it and it would just be terribly sad if it stank.


I'm happy to report that there is no stank on this book at all. If anything, I think his writing has gained in depth without losing a fraction of its wit.

And those who believe authors should not read their own work are right about just about everyone except David Sedaris. There's a reason people line up to see him.

I just wish there was more Paul in this book. The brother appears in a perfectly crystalized cameo that just makes you ache for more.

It is otherwise wonderful. Add to cart immediatement.

Loved this book!

I had never read or listened to anything by David Sedaris before this book and now I am hooked! I read the book before I listened to the audiobook. I actually enjoyed doing it this way because I had one idea in my mind of what David Sedaris was like after reading the book but then after I listened to the book, and heard his voice (he narrates it), I had a totally different impression. The audiobook brought him and his book completely to life. I never realized how preferable it is to have the actual author narrate the book. He really brought these short stories/chapters to life and provided an incredibly enteratining experience.

Stop Smoking

This is mostly a funny book about quitting smoking. If you smoke (which I never have), listen to it. It makes fun of the lengths you have to continue to smoke from confined smoking rooms in airports, to standing on the street outside of office buildings during a break, to having to stay in crappy airport motels so you can smoke in your room. Funny, funny, funny if you do not smoke. If you are hooked maybe not so much.

Great fun

As expected, David Sedaris entertains and takes you into his world. I was happy to be stuck in a massive 3 hour traffic jam recently on the SF Bay Bridge, as it gave me extra time to enjoy this book- sounds crazy, but true!

Simply hilarous

Very funny. Light hearted fun. Especially funny are parts from live shows where the author is particulary animated in his animation.

randomly live..?

not sure why it goes randomly to a live recording but it does! would be better if it didn't made mr lose track.

A Unique Voice and a Unique Point of View

Nobody sees the world quite like Davis Sedaris, and the best way to understand his hilarious, insightful and thoroughly charming point of view is by listening to him read his own words. Listen to his detailed but never tedious description of people, places and situations and you will feel you are living his fascinating and quirky life right along side him. I cannot recommend this and his other works enough.