Apart from David Sedaris on the page, his own readings make an engaging presence on BBC Radio 4. You can hear the final instalment of the eighth series tonight, though you’ll have to be quick to listen to the earlier instalments online.

Once you’ve heard him, you will read his stories in his voice:

I don’t sound like a woman, I sound like a muppet—there’s a difference.

His new series is increasingly personal. As ever, his vision is both drôle and disturbing. As ever, his family provide rich material, notably his sisters Amy, Lisa, and Gretchen. He reflects both on their childhood and on the aging process. In Instalment 2 he leads from his own travails in hospital to visiting his father in intensive care.

He spots a notice online:

To the person who stole my antidepressants—I hope you’re happy.

A couple of favourites from the Sedaris tag in the sidebar:

• Learning the lingo (cf. Language learning)
• When you are engulfed in flames.