About the book

Author: Sedaris, David.

Title: Let’s explore diabetes with owls: Essays, etc.

Publication: New York, NY : Little, Brown and Company, 2013. ISBN 9780316154697.

DAISY audio format narrated by David Sedaris. CELA library call number DA53190. 275 pages in the paper edition; 6 hrs., 26 mins. as a recorded book.

About the story

This is a series of essays, read by the author and recorded at various times, some recorded live, some in studio. They are, in the main, fictionalised accounts of the author’s daily activities and his vivid inner life.

If you’ve read any of his books before, you know they are droll, self-immolating accounts of his life, early childhood and adventures with his partner. It’s not fall-on-the-ground funny, but it’s definitely entertaining.

The last section of the book, the “etc.” part, contains short speeches he hopes high school students will memorise for some competitive speechifying that they apparently do in the United States, sort of like an extended Spelling Bee I imagine. I take him at his word.

He talks about dentists and journalling, buying owls, visiting CostCo and living in Sussex, England. He talks about growing up in the US, and being gay, health care and travelling. All kinds of stuff, really.

I like to listen to one and then switch to other books.

It would be a great book to take on trip or to leave at a cottage.