Naked

Joeji

Rating: really liked it
On the inside of this book, David Sedaris signed it and wrote, "Joe, I am so happy you're alive."

He then proceeded to write in my girlfriend at the time's book, "You can do better."

Ahmad Sharabiani

Rating: really liked it
Naked, David Sedaris

Naked, published in 1997, is a collection of essays by American humorist David Sedaris. The book details Sedaris’ life, from his unusual upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, to his booze-and-drug-ridden college years, to his Kerouacian wandering as a young adult.

Contents:
Chipped Beef,
A Plague of Tics,
Get Your Ya-Ya's Out!,
Next of Kin,
Cyclops,
The Women's Open,
True Detective,
Dix Hill,
I Like Guys,
The Drama Bug,
Dinah, the Christmas Whore,
Planet of the Apes,
The Incomplete Quad,
C.O.G.,
Something for Everyone,
Ashes,
and Naked.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز چهارم ماه آوریل سال2014میلادی

عنوان: مادر بزرگت را از اینجا ببر؛ نویسنده: دیوید سداریس؛ مترجم پیمان خاکسار؛ تهران، زاوش، سال1392، در150ص، چاپ دیگر تهران، نشر چشمه، سال1393؛ در150ص؛ شابک9786002292858؛ چاپ پنجم سال1395؛ موضوع داستانهای کوتاه از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده20م

داستانهای کوتاه: «طاعون تیک»، «گوشت کنسروی»، «مادربزرگت رو از این‌جا ببر!»، «غول یک‌چشم»، «یک کارآگاه واقعی»، «دیکس هیل»، «حشره ی درام»، «دینا»، «سیاره ی میمون‌ها»، «چهارضلعی ناقص» و «شب مردگان زنده»؛

طاعون تیک: داستان پسربچه ای است، که ذهنش لحظه ای او را، آرام نمیگذارد، کلیدی برای خاموش کردنش در دسترس او نیست؛ فرامینی همچون لیس زدن کلید چراغهای کلاس درس، فشاردادن دماغ به در یخچال و کاپوت ماشین، کوبیدن پاشنه ی کفش به پیشانی، و ...؛ از متن: (لذت جایی در این فرایند نداشت، باید این کارها را میکردم، چون هیچ چیز بدتر از اضطراب ناشی از انجام ندادنشان وجود نداشت)؛ پایان نقل

گوشت کنسروی: استفاده مناسب از عنصر غافلگیری

مادربزرگت را از اینجا ببر: نخست توصیف زندگی مادربزرگ پدری راوی، در آپارتمانی بسیار کوچک است؛ که اصلا شبیه آپارتمان نیست، و به قول راوی زندگی سگشان، به کودکی پدرش شرف داشته است؛ خانواده ی پدری راوی، از مهاجران «یونانی» هستند، و مادربزرگ، هیچ تغییری نکرده است و پس از این همه سال، «انگلیسی» را هنوز خوب حرف نمیزند، و پس از گذشت یازده سال از ازدواج پسرش؛ هنوز به عروسش میگوید «اون دختره»؛ او را همسخن قرار نمیدهد، و البته که سایه ی همدیگر را، با تیر میزنند...؛ خوشبختانه مادربزرگ «یونانی»، در شهری دیگر ساکن است، اما به واسطه ی تصادف، و شکستگی لگن، مادربزرگ به خانه آنها میآید؛ و ...؛ و

غول یک چشم: پدری که وظیفه خویش میداند، تا هماره بچه هایش را از خطر بترساند...؛ و

یک کارآگاه واقعی: مادر و خواهر راوی، و سریالهای تلویزیونی، و البته تنها سریالهای پلیسی جنایی...؛ و

دیکس هیل: راوی، در کلاس هفتم است، برای کار مجانی و عام المنفعه، به تیمارستان «دیکس هیل» میرود...؛ و

حشره درام: در پی حضور یک بازیگر، جهت الهام بخشی به دانش آموزان، در کلاس نهم، راوی، و دوستش، به موضوع نمایش، و بازیگری علاقمند میشوند، و...؛ و

دینا: پدر عقیده دارد، که هیچ چیز، به اندازه ی کار، پس از مدرسه، شخصیت آدم را نمیسازد، و پول تو جیبی را قطع میکند، و راوی، و خواهرش به کار در کافه تریاها، مشغول میشوند...؛ و

سیاره میمون ها: ماجراهای «اتواستاپ» زدن های راوی...؛ و

چهارضلعی ناقص: راوی، و هم اتاقی معلولش، در دانشگاه و باز هم «اتواستاپ»...؛ از متن: (پدرم همیشه میگفت: «دانشگاه بهترین چیزیه که ممکنه تو زندگیت اتفاق بیفته»، راست میگفت، چون آنجا بود که مواد، و الکل، و سیگار را کشف کردم...؛) پایان نقل

شب مردگان زنده: راوی، از شبی میگوید، که جلوی در ویلای تابستانی خویش ایستاده، و موشی را، در آب خفه میکند، مینی بوسی میایستد، و راننده از او آدرسی میپرسد؛ راوی میخواهد، به او یاری کند، اما همه چیز شبیه فیلمهای «ژانر وحشت» میشود...؛

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 05/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ 24/11/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

Marty Reeder

Rating: really liked it
About a third of the way through David Sedaris's book, I wondered how I had not heard of this guy before. This guy was funny. No, not just funny, he was really funny. He didn't just make me laugh while reading his book, he made me cry I was laughing so hard. So why, why had I not heard of someone so side-splittingly funny? A couple chapters later, I understood why. A few more chapters after that and Naked went into a dive bomb. While there were some redeeming moments near the end, he never fully recovered and I returned the book from whence it came with a sigh, thinking of what could have been.

So what went wrong? Let me tell you first what went right. The moments where David was a kid and shared stories about his experiences growing up; those were the priceless moments, those were the hilarious, tear-inducing scenes that were impossible not to enjoy. His description of his sarcastic mom, his crazy grandma, his golf-obsessed dad with mutilated friends were priceless. They were characters you could like and laugh at, at the same time. Then comes stories from Sedaris's college days and afterwards, and you begin to think, "You know, I don't really like this guy." And it is hard to laugh with a guy that you end up not liking. This is a guy who is an unapologetic drug abuser, uses obscenities with graphic language and descriptions, takes advantage of people, looks down on others. Some of these he tempers with a measly sentence at the end of a chapter showing that he has since learned better, but you don't believe it. It doesn't feel sincere, especially in the way he has written it. There are aspects of his childhood self that linger and allow you a view of the Sedaris that you miss, but alas, they are only glimpses.

It was with great effort that I finished Naked, and it was with a bitter taste in my mouth. If I could chance to read more from Sedaris's childhood, I might venture back into those waters, but until then I will avoid him and think of what might have been.

Michael

Rating: really liked it
Sardonic and droll, the abridged audio of David Sedaris’s Naked offers a series of scattered autobiographical pieces. As in most of his work, the author is ironic and self-deprecating as he alternates between recounting childhood memories and recollecting his travels as an adult. Because the audio is abridged, though, all the mediocre pieces that typically embellish a Sedaris collection have been removed. Naked offers the perfect introduction to the author’s work for that reason, but those who dislike his brand of humor won’t find themselves changed.

Kelly (and the Book Boar)

Rating: really liked it
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Here’s a dramatic reenactment of me in the car going to hell Wal-Mart with the husband while simultaneously trying to describe my feelings about David Sedaris . . . .



Ever since I finally got brave enough to attempt audiobooks several months ago, I’ve methodically been revisiting Sedaris’ work. If you haven’t experienced his stuff before, I’m telling you audio is the way to go and Naked is David Sedaris at his best. From being a little kid with O.C.D. in a time where such behavior was dismissed as “quirky,” to a young man living at a nudist colony, to his mother’s cancer diagnosis - Naked will have you laughing until you cry and crying until you laugh. An added bonus is his sister Amy lends her voice to some of the selections as well. Talk about my fantasy audible ménage à trois. The only thing better than the Sedaris siblings? Their mother. Several years ago I used to wish I could be her when I grew up. Now I’m thinking my wish came true which I think is awesome, but probably terrifies my family.

Kim

Rating: really liked it
I'm being told that this is funny... but so far all I want to do is gather David Sedaris into my arms and rock him back and forth and tell him everything is okay.

Okay, finished. Is it really supposed to be funny? I found myself pretty saddened by most of the stories. He's got a great writing style and I definitely felt pulled into each of the stories, but I think I felt more empathetic than anything.

Especially in "C.O.G":

I didn't want to quit my job. Quitting involved a certain degree of responsibility I didn't want to assume. Rather, I hoped that Jon might remove that burden and dismiss me as soon as possible. I had felt contempt for him, even occasional hatred, and now I was fighting the urge to feel sorry for him. He must have known it, and clearing his throat he proceeded to cut me off at the pass.
"Let me tell you a little something," he said finally. "I don't appreciate being used. I'm not talking here about all the free coffee and rides I've given you. I mean used in here." He meant to point at his heart but, swerving to pass another car, wound up gesturing toward his lap instead. "You're a user, kid. You used my tools and my patience and now you want me to pat you on the head and tell you what a good little boy you are. But you know what? You're not a good boy. You're not even a good girl."
More, I thought. More, more

There's definitely similar themes in each story. He has low self esteem, he sees himself as weak and effeminate and hardly useful. He has strong ties to his family, although he isn't exactly sure why. Sure, they are told with a whimsical air, but I couldn't help but pick up on the self hatred and run with it. Maybe it's where I feel in my own life, but at the end of each story I reflected on his assessments and had to stop myself from breaking down.

In 'Naked' someone asks him the question 'What if everybody in the world were allowed one wish, but in order to get it, it meant they'd bave to crawl around on their hands and knees for the rest of their life?'

His observation:

If I could have the face and body of my dreams, what good would it do me if I had to walk around like an animal? Mabe if I were to wish for happiness, I wouldn't mind crawling -- but what kind of a person would I be if I were naturally happy? I've seen people like that on inspirational television shows and they scare me. Why did I have to think about this in the first place?

I enjoyed his stories and I will most likely read more but I'll have to up my anti-depressant dosage first.

Tara

Rating: really liked it
David Sedaris is an adorable little sassmouth. His idiosyncratic brand of humor possesses many fine, laudable traits; it is by turns indecently irreverent, snotty, crude, painfully neurotic, silly, self-deprecating, and even downright morbid. Unfortunately, this collection of autobiographical essays just wasn’t as consistently funny and entertaining as his other books. The first half was genuinely hilarious, and reading it frequently led to uncontrollable giggling and explosions of loud, rambunctious laughter. The second part, however, had so many strained, awkward jokes that I spent most of the time cringing with embarrassment on their behalf; the poor things were trying way too hard.

If you want top-shelf Sedaris, I’d recommend starting with either Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim or perhaps Me Talk Pretty One Day, both of which provide much stronger examples of his distinctively snarky, sardonic wit.

I’ll leave you with this excerpt, which duly notes the intrinsic futility of attempting to read a book on a crowded cross-country bus, surrounded by aggressively opinionated hillbillies with no real conception of boundaries or personal space:

“Books offered no relief. Failing to act even as a shield, their presence attracted everything from mild curiosity to open hostility.

‘You think you’re going to learn something from a book?’ said the man sitting next to me. ‘Let me tell you a little something, bookworm, you’ll learn more on this goddamned bus than you would in a whole…’ He paused, attempting to recall the name given to such a place. ‘You’ll learn more here than in a whole pyramid full of books. You could fill a racetrack with every piece of shit ever written, but you’ll learn more right here.’

Having never seen a racetrack full of books, I thought it premature to contradict him.”

Jason Koivu

Rating: really liked it
Naked David arrived first, but it was Holiday David who made the NPR splash. Those of us in the front row received the full facial and were covered David the Elf's funk. I've still got Sedaris stank all over me and I'm loving it!

While Holiday took a step back from unadulterated intimacy, Naked (and Barrel Fever) begins the unveiling of David Sedaris' inner, most personal life. It has all the markings of an early work, feeling like a skeletal version of Me Talk Pretty... or Dress Your Family..., a funny skeletal version mind you, but incomplete and fragmentary nonetheless.

Sedaris does not delve so deeply, mining the depths of his own existence to locate the funny bone, as he does in later works. His comedic flair has not yet fully caught fire. Even so, Naked presents some of the author's important first steps. Some are funny. Some are endearing. Some are tentative. Some are not pretty. All can be enjoyed by fans for what they are, a good beginning.

If I could, I would rate this 3.5 stars, because the story-to-story quality ranges from 3 to 4. I'm feeling generous, so I've clicked the "4 stars" option. If you're a newcomer, you might want to start with Dress Your Family... though.

Jessaka

Rating: really liked it
Put On Some Clothes Sedais


My word! Get in this house right now David and put on your clothes, and if you say anything else that is foul mouthed out there on the streets or even in my house, I will wash your moth out with soap. And I can tell you right now, you won’t like it.

Don’t we have enough vulgarity in our society today with everyone thinking it is okay to no longer be political correct?

You think it is funny? Red Skelton once said that he saw so reason to use vulgar language in order to be funny. He is right that there is no use for it, but it isn’t funny. Never was.

And who have you been hanging out with in order to be able to make fun of foul mouthed, low life people? It isn’t funny to joke about them either. They ain’t funny. And furthermore, what kind of business would allow your mouth in the room, some seeding cocktail lounge in the dangerous section of a city? I dind’t raise you like this.

I know you comedians like to let down your hair sometimes when you aren’t on camera. Geesh, I had to even turn off Trevor Noah for his nasty hand gestures, but then latter one she quit them. I know because I tuned in one day, and he wasn’t doing them anymore. Someone must have told him that the hand gestures were not funny, so I watch him now. And if you want to be famous like Trevor Noah, be on a late night talk show, you had better clean up your mouth. Yes, put on some cothes. They go a long way to covering up flaws.

¬

Tom

Rating: really liked it
Maybe part of my problem with the book is that I first read the back cover, which told me two things that I didn't find to be true:

1. This book is side-splittingly hilarious
2. It turns the "mania for memoir on its proverbial ear."

Sure, maybe it's not fair to judge the book based on my preconceptions, but there's some merit to this I think.

First, my sides are completely unsplit. I laughed a few times, found some things whimsical, and did find a few lines to be very funny. But a lot of the jokes fell flat to me and sounded like watered-down Rick Reilly goofiness, and I don't get into Rick Reilly so much. It's pretty obvious even without the hype that one of the book's main goals is to make the reader laugh, but I guess I found the humor limited. There's a lot of one-note humor (maybe a little too smirky sometimes?), and, more importantly, there's a lot of retreating behind witty wordplay or Tonight Show one-liners during moments of great tension. Sometimes the humor undermined the interesting action of the essays/stories, rather than allowing the author to explore some issues more deeply and/or to offer some more insight.

Second, I don't see how this turns anything on its ear. I mean, the actual details of the plot are different from some memoir, but it covers some pretty well-traveled ground (homosexual awakening at summer camp, dealing with mom's cancer, etc.). And that's fine too. But I felt like a) there's an unfulfilled promise (which probably isn't Sedaris' fault, but still) and b) he could have wrung more out of the material than he did.

All that said, I liked the book. 3 stars isn't a bad rating, I think. It's just that there's not a lot of stuff here I think I'm going to remember for very long. I read it, I enjoyed it, and now it's done.

Dana

Rating: really liked it
Quality writing as I have come to expect from David Sedaris. Love his wit and dark humour. Can't wait to read another. I have started the habit of reading snippets of David Sedaris books in between book slumps and it has really helped! Great boredom breaker.

Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy

Check out more of my reviews here

Jonathan K (Plot & Characters Matter)

Rating: really liked it
Put simply this is another of David's hilarious memoirs filled with outrageous characters, situations and commentary. If you've yet to read his stories, do yourself a favor and indulge. Whether his family, friends or neighbors, he invites the unusual into his life in ways never imagined!

Jen

Rating: really liked it
Let's start off with the cover. Magnificence. In hardback the shorts are adjustable, and if you pull them up over the title you will see an x-ray of legs. I assume, since Mr. Sedaris is so willing to sacrifice himself at the altar of humor, that those thin white bones are his own. Genius.

Visiting a nudist trailer park in the name of research, really, the man is so selfless. Licking light switches, wiping his face on towels soiled with excrement...and it doesn't stop there. Why this is funny I can't explain. But it is. The wrongness is just so right.

One story in the collection stands out to me because it has more than self-deprecating humor. It is the story that chronicles his sister's wedding and his mother's slow decline into death. I suspect many readers of Sedaris are bigger fans of his mother than he is, and I cannot deny that I am a part of that crowd. The drinks, the caustic retorts, the ability to laugh at your child who can't walk into a room without caressing lampshades, the humane hospitality of welcoming a whore into your living room with Christmas cheer- the woman was the sinner's saint. Although some might argue with me, I can and will now provide proof that the woman didn't do so bad. Behold--

Exhibit A: The writer, David Sedaris

Exhibit B: The feisty whirlwind of talent, Amy Sedaris. Yes, I am biased.

Because of the late Ms. Sedaris, I can now with full confidence tell my children when they complain, "Just think of the material I'm giving you for your memoirs!"

Calista

Rating: really liked it
This was a good chuckle. The beginning with his neuroses was not all that funny, but then once he starts talking about his family - cracks me up. David took a trip to Greece with some good material. But the best part of the story is the nudist colony he goes too. I lost my mind laughing. That tickled me.

I do enjoy reading David and I need to read more of his books. He is such a joy to see how he sees the world. The world through his eyes is so interesting and he never seems to run out of material.

Heidi

Rating: really liked it
Laugh out loud reading... great tales about an interesting family from one of the funniest essayists around... thank you NPR for turning me on to David Sedaris!