WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES

In David Sedaris's excellent latest collection, cringe-worthy moments follow on the heels of laugh-out-loud ones—you may never buy another pair of thrift-store pants, for example, and that's only the beginning. The stories jump back and forth in time and locale—Sedaris is in middle school, in college, in his grown, professional life; now North Carolina, now New York, now Normandy. The constant is Sedaris's narration, and that's why his delivery works so well with his words—every absurdity is made more believable (if not more palatable) thanks to his steady reading. He sounds incredulous and world-weary all at the same time. Death may be a recurring theme in these essays, but listeners will chuckle helplessly all the same. Track listings with titles are helpfully printed on the CDs, so it's easy to go back and find favorites again. J.M.D. 2009 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2008]