• When You Are Engulfed in Flames

  • By: David Sedaris
  • Narrated by: David Sedaris
  • Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (10,623 ratings)

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When You Are Engulfed in Flames  By  cover art

When You Are Engulfed in Flames

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris
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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)

What listeners say about When You Are Engulfed in Flames

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Excellent Author!

David Sedaris is absolutely brilliant. His books never cease to make me laugh, the stories are so relatable. I enjoy every word!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Not for the faint of brain

Brilliant and funny, his delivery is just as hysterical as the stories. A must hear!

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First Sedaris I've listened to, won't be the last

I listened to this on a road trip and it was an excellent choice, except for nearly running off the road when I laughed so hard at some of his stories. Best appreciated by people who like a very dry sense of humor. The stories about struggling with another language abroad are some of the best and very relatable. I would love to be a fly on the wall during Thanksgiving at the Sedaris household. #tagsgiving #sweepstakes #QuirkyFamilies #OntheRoad #Funny #Satire #France

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Extremely funny and astute

David Sedaris is funny. Not ha-ha funny though but funny because what he is saying is true. Mr. Sedaris' astute introspection and observations make for a meaningful yet delightful listening experience. He challenges the listener to find those similar or rhyming experiences which make a person contemplate his or her own mortality albeit not in a macabre but a rather amusing and hilarious way.

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If you like "This American Life"....

Would you listen to When You Are Engulfed in Flames again? Why?

I would not listen to this book a 2nd time because the charm of the story is the unique way in which Sedaris' outlook on life is communicated. Once that perspective is heard, the surprise is lost.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would not have changed a thing.

What does David Sedaris bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thouroughly enjoyed hearing the author;s tale in his own owrds and inflections.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

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Hilarious

Funny, dark insightful. ...Mr. Sedaris is a humorist and observer of the first order. .can't wait to read or listen to his next..

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Hilarious

If you like David you will not be disappointed. His sarcastic humour makes me look like a crazy person laughing out loud while I walk down the street listening.

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Another Excellent Sedaris Collection

loved it, Sedaris is spot on as always, leaving me both laughing and pensive about life

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So funny.

I had heard some of these vignettes on NPR and forgot how funny they were.

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Lots of laughs from David Sedaris

What did you love best about When You Are Engulfed in Flames?

The book got off to bit of a slow start, and I didn't particularly enjoy the first few chapters. However, it quickly gained momentum and had me laughing out loud.

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