Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary


Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
37
Narrator
Release Date
September 2010
Duration
3 hours 0 minutes
Summary
Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new collection of keen-eyed animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life.

In 'The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck,' three strangers commiserate about animal bureaucracy while waiting in a complaint line. In 'Hello Kitty,' a cynical feline struggles to sit through his prison-mandated AA meetings. In 'The Squirrel and the Chipmunk,' a pair of star-crossed lovers is separated by prejudiced family members.

With original illustrations by Ian Falconer, author of the bestselling Olivia series of children's books, these stories are David Sedaris at his most observant, poignant, and surprising.
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Reviews
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Jeremy Monette

If you are familiar with--and like--the other works of David Sedaris, this might not be the book for you. Perhaps you have to know the old bestiary tales for this to be the book for you; the old Aesop or Reynard the Fox tales. Because this is a bestiary--The tales put human thoughts and actions into the mouths and beaks of animals. By doing this, the writer can better show hypocrisy and foibles and other negative attributes of humans. It works here, and it is sometimes funny, but it seems to lack the heart and good-natured observation about the human condition that is the hallmark of Sedaris' other work. There seems to be, hiding behind the device, a sense of cruelty hiding behind the stories. This is not the David Sedaris I know, and I feel uncomfortable hearing it. His voice is here, but something unnameable is missing.

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Anonymous

I returned this book almost immediately. It was really bizarre and crude. Do not recommend

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Kay Jerome

First story is a hair-dresser ape's version of a conversation she had with cat-client. Hilarious until the zinger at the end.

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neetabug

Too dark and bizarre for me. After many years of Simply Audiobooks membership, this is the first selection I have sent back before finishing. I can usually find some redeeming quality,, but not this time.

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Anonymous

I like listening to David Sedaris who often takes a very cynical look at life, poking at the idosycrities of people, like, and modern society. These stories continue with this, but seem to really focus on a darker vision of human interaction. They lack the sparkle of his usual humor, becomeing not just dark humor, but more simply 'dark.' Not unpleasant, not unamusing or invalid, but not something one should listen to in order to cheer up. If listen to do so in spurts, and have something cheerful or antidepressant on hand.

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heybert64

I was sucked in to thinking this was going to be a cute, funny book by the first few stories. But, actually, this is a horrid book full of sad, repulsive stories. Maybe some of this is a real part of the animal world, but by no means is it humorous. I wasted money in both listening to only half of the cds and by purchasing what I thought was going to be a great gift for my daughter.

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Anonymous

Love David Sedaris, but this is just boring...I had to stop listening

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Anonymous

Funny. I like David Sedaris's other books better because I like the stories he writes about the people in his life. It is always fun to listen to him describe people he has interacted with in life and realize I know people just like that too (or that I am that person)

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Coco

This book was funny. It was strange too, but so are people...I mean animals... I kept picturing the humans he must have based his characters on and that just made me laugh more. I listen to these books on my commute, so I wish it could have been longer, but I was very amused!

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ML

Very disappointing as it is NOTHING like Sedaris' usual books/writings. It has a small amount of dry comedic interest and I may have enjoyed it more had I not gone in expecting my customary Sedaris fix.

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Anonymous

I normally LOVE David Sedaris, but this didn't work for me. At first I enjoyed these quirky short vignettes, but they got stranger and stranger, and not in a good way. I gave up after the 2nd disc and sent this back.

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