This week we offer a long-lost manuscript and two works of nonfiction.
Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002)
David Sedaris; read by the author
Hachette Audio, 11 CDs, 14 hours, $35/www.audible.com download, $30.79
Sedaris kept diaries for 40 years, and these selections unspool in one long, hilarious, poignant, thoughtful ramble. Sedaris, and much of his family, view the world with humor and sarcasm, but not with malice, making for observations that are simply fascinating. Sometimes his entries, such as his obsession with spiders, are so weird you just can’t stop listening. He is candid in his revelations about addiction, sexual encounters, ambition and some less-than-savory choices. Decades of performing have made him a master of delivery so that every joke or embarrassing disclosure sounds heartfelt. This will leave you anticipating the next installment. Grade: A
Dragon Teeth
Michael Crichton; read by Scott Brick with an afterward by Sherri Crichton
Harper Audio, seven CDs, 7.45 hours, $34.99/www.audible.com download, $21.99
Uncovered years after Crichton’s demise, this romp through the Wild Old West is a fun and fast diversion. The Earp brothers and actual dueling paleontologists Othniel Marsh and his nemesis, Professor Edward Drinker Cope, are all part of the “Bone Wars” of the 1870s. The story is told through the adventures of a fictional Yale student who grows up as he learns hard lessons about science, business, romance and survival in a mostly lawless land. It isn’t up to par with “Jurassic Park,” but it is easy to get lost in the action. Brick has fun with this, infusing some characters with old-timey western twangs and matching his pace to the action. Grade: A-minus
The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell
W. Kamau Bell; read by the author
Penguin Audio, nine CDs, 10.5 hours, $45/www.audible.com download, $31.50
Bell is a political satirist, author, comedian, talk show host, podcaster and father who has much to say about race, sexuality, gender, parenting, his parents and general observations about life. Don’t expect a laughfest, as this is more thoughtful and wry than studded with humor. For a smart guy, his grammar is sometimes questionable and he goes on a bit too long when discussing his career, but he gives the listener a lot to think about, especially regarding race, as he meanders through his life. Some of this falls flat when read in print, but his outrage, humor and pride all come through his narration. Grade: B-plus
