Calypso

By: David Sedaris

Narrated by: David Sedaris

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

David Sedaris returns with his most deeply personal and darkly hilarious book.

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 powers of observation have 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 tumor 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

Critic reviews

"The latest essay collection by humorist David Sedaris is a meditation on aging. It's a sardonic one at that, that he narrates himself in his quintessential tongue-in-cheek fashion.... Fans of Sedaris, who may well be in the middle of their own lives by now, will listen along, laughing, and perhaps wiping away a few tears." (AudioFile)

<3

david sedaris could barf on paper and it would be funny and deeply touching. I have listened to this many times already, and I will again.

Sedaris does it again

I will never not read a Sedaris collection. He is my favorite non fiction author!

An older, darker, David

David Sedaris is wonderful as always. You will love this collection. It is strikingly dark. Ageing and suicide are overarching tropes. Of course the funny, clever, and unexpected Sedaris stories are there as ever. Enjoy.

Doesn’t get any better than this!

What can I say? Words don’t do this book justice. David Sedaris has a way of putting in to words emotions and memories like no other. I laughed, I cried a little and I hated when it ended. I feel this is one of his better books and I’ve read them all. The first Sedaris book I. Read was Naked, lent to me during a trip to Europe by a friend I was traveling with at the time. I can just imagine the looks on the faces of the other travelers as I read and could not help but laugh out loud. Fierce that I read more of his books and here I stand, a true fan 4-ev-a! Don’t hesitate for one brief minute to get this book, you will not regret having done so! Thanks Mr. Sedaris for a look in to your world!

Must listen!

Definitely worth listening to! It’s a great performance. Sedaris, and his family, is so quirky and hilarious.

So sad at times tho

More of this great writer's greatness. I can't get enough of his stories and the fact he tells them himself is what makes all these audiobooks so valuable. Highly recommended.

Funny and realistic

I really enjoyed the stories. I laughed so hard at the grocery store while listening that I may have appeared off the chain to others who didn’t know I was listening to an audiobook. I found the curses that people in Europe would say to others, who cut them off while driving, or stole their parking spots, very interesting. Two of the curses were very funny. American curses are succinct, but Europeans curse in prose. I enjoyed it. The writing style is excellent. I would listen to this again.

Fun read

Goes quickly. Can identify with family dynamic.
Very true to life of many readers. Lovely

Funny and sad hand in hand

captivating, funny and sad going hand in hand reading. great just like his other books

Absolutely Phenomenal!

I have never heard of this author before and I'm not only a new fan but I will be searching for an opportunity to see him live! the only thing that the pointing about this book was that it ended.