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- Title: Calypso
- Author: David Sedaris
- Narrator: David Sedaris
- Length: 06:30:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 29/05/2018
- Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA
- Genre: Comedy, Essays & Memoirs, Health & Wellness, Marriage & Family, General Comedy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It’s not every day you stumble across an audiobook that feels like a road trip with an old friend – one who’s equal parts witty, irreverent, and unexpectedly tender. That’s exactly what I found when I popped in my earbuds and let David Sedaris’s “Calypso” sweep me away. Narrated by the man himself, this collection of essays is a masterclass in turning the mundane into the absurdly profound, and it hit me right in the gut, somewhere between a belly laugh and a wistful sigh. As a travel writer who’s spent years chasing stories across deserts and coastlines, I couldn’t help but feel a kinship with Sedaris’s knack for finding the extraordinary in the everyday.
The story unfolds like a lazy afternoon on the Carolina coast, where Sedaris retreats to his beach house, dubbed the Sea Section – a name that alone tells you you’re in for some clever wordplay. I first listened to “Calypso” while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, the ocean stretching out endlessly to my left, and it reminded me of a time when I was holed up in a tiny shack in Baja, trying to escape my own thoughts. Sedaris gets it – there’s no outrunning yourself, no matter how idyllic the setting. His tales of family vacations, sibling squabbles, and the odd tumor-feeding turtle weave together a tapestry of middle age, mortality, and the kind of humor that makes you snort in public. It’s beach reading for those of us who’d rather trade small talk for a good, dark joke.
What struck me most was how Sedaris’s voice – both literal and literary – brings these stories to life. Having spent evenings in Oaxaca listening to a grandmother spin tales with perfect pauses and sly asides, I can say Sedaris has that same magic. His narration is intimate, like he’s leaning across a campfire to share a secret. You can almost hear the smirk in his voice as he recounts feeding a tumor to a snapping turtle or the weariness when he reflects on his sister’s struggles. The audiobook experience amplifies this – it’s not just a reading; it’s a performance. At just over six hours, it’s the perfect length for a long drive or a lazy weekend, though I found myself rewinding to catch lines I’d laughed too hard to fully hear.
Thematically, “Calypso” dances between comedy and something deeper. Sedaris tackles aging with a sharp eye – his body betraying him, his family shifting around him – and it hit close to home. I thought of my own parents, the way time has carved lines into their faces, and how we’ve all started joking about it to keep the fear at bay. There’s a health and wellness thread here, too, not in the preachy way but in the raw, human reality of living in a body that’s past its prime. Marriage and family take center stage as well, with Sedaris and his partner, Hugh, bickering over board games, while his siblings pop in and out like characters in a sitcom you’ve loved for years. It’s memoir with a comedian’s timing, and it left me both howling and a little misty-eyed.
The audio quality is crisp, with Sedaris’s dry delivery cutting through like a salty breeze. His pacing is impeccable – slow enough to let the punchlines land, quick enough to keep you hooked. If there’s a limitation, it’s that his humor won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. The tumor jokes and casual morbidity might unsettle listeners looking for light escapism. And while the essays are loosely tied to the beach house, they meander like a coastal trail – beautifully, but without a tight narrative arc. For me, that’s part of the charm, though I can see it feeling disjointed to some.
Compared to other comedy memoirs – like Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” or Mindy Kaling’s “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” – “Calypso” stands out for its willingness to lean into the dark stuff. Where Fey and Kaling keep it breezy, Sedaris dives into the messy, mortal underbelly of life, and his narration makes it feel like he’s daring you to laugh along. It’s not as polished as a stand-up special, but it’s more personal, more lived-in.
I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a good story – especially if you’re the type who finds humor in life’s absurdities. It’s perfect for fans of essays and memoirs, or anyone navigating family quirks and midlife reckonings. If you’ve ever laughed through a tough day, this one’s for you. And here’s a tip: check your local library or audiobook platforms – sometimes you can snag “Calypso” for free, which feels like Sedaris himself would approve of, given his thrift-store sensibilities.
Listening to “Calypso” felt like uncovering a hidden history of my own – a reminder of late-night talks with my brother in our childhood beach tent, or the time I fed seagulls in Galveston and accidentally started a war. Sedaris has a way of making you see your own life through his lens, and that’s a rare gift. For me, it was a journey worth taking – one I’ll revisit the next time I need a laugh and a little perspective.
Until our next adventure, keep chasing the stories that move you,
Marcus Rivera
