David Sedaris, hilarious as always
I always buy the audiobook versions of David Sedaris' books because he reads them himself, and listening to him read, with his dry wit and elfin voice, sometimes innocent and sometimes sly, is half the fun. When You Are Engulfed in Flames is in turn amusing, laugh-out-loud funny, and, occasionally, somber and serious. The title is a riff on his stay in Japan, an example of the broken English he constantly ran across. Sedaris is no snob making fun of the Japanese, however, for he tells us of his hopeless attempts to learn Japanese, being the worst student in the class, and being able to learn only the very simplest phrases. While most of the book is humorous, some of it is moving, and the tale of a trip to visit the memorial to victims of the atomic bomb blast is harrowing. A theme running through the book is Sedaris' attempt to quit smoking, and he relates this experience as only he can. This might not be the best book for first-time Sedaris readers/listeners, but established fans will enjoy it.

Love the half I received - ony 4 of 8 discs in pack
We have loved listening to the discs, but the second package of sleeves is empty. We didn't notice it until this morning when we looked for disc 5. You can't imagine our dissappointment. This set has made us chuckle constantly while listening and throughout the day when something reminds us of the stories.

PLEASE send the second set of discs.

Thank you-
Barbara

Funny and moving stuff
One of the things I love most about David Sedaris's work is that one essay can send me running to the bathroom because I'm laughing so hard and the next can move me to tears. Not every essay has had much meaning for me but the majority are far better written than most of what passes for "literature" and best sellers these days. No one else has captured family moments, both poignant and hysterically funny, as well as Mr. Sedaris and I can't wait to see and hear him read his work aloud the next time he is in Ohio.

Laugh out Loud
I started reading this book at work and actually laughed out loud. I kept passing it around to read certain parts. I love David Sedaris!

Was this supposed to be funny?
My mind must work differently than some of the other reviewers! I just didn't find much humor in this book and by midway through I was considering not even finishing it...which is a no-no for me. I was getting tired of his self-indulgence.