David Sedaris’s Diaries
The Book Review2 Sep 2022

David Sedaris’s Diaries

For the next few months, we’re sharing some of our favorite conversations from the podcast’s archives. This one was originally published on June 2, 2017.

The essayist and humorist David Sedaris started keeping diaries nearly half a century ago, and in 2017 he published a broad selection of entries from them in his book “Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002).” On the podcast, he talked about how the diaries evolved, the kinds of details and eccentricities that tend to catch his eye, and the process of combing through thousands of pages to produce this 500-page book.

“I have a hundred and, I believe, 64 volumes of my diary, and each one is thicker than this book,” he says. “And a lot of it is crazy person — tiny letters, front and back page. So this is just a tiny fraction of my diary. … I tried to detach myself, and think, Would this be of interest to anyone? I mean, a lot of it wasn’t even interesting to me. Or, it was just interesting for, you know, nostalgic reasons. So I was just looking for things that might possibly interest someone who I don’t know.”

We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review’s podcast in general. You can send them to books@nytimes.com.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Avsnitt(585)

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter’

This week, Kate Clifford Larson discusses the life of Rosemary Kennedy; Alexandra Alter has news from the literary world; Larissa MacFarquhar talks about “Strangers Drowning”; feedback from readers; a...

9 Okt 201545min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Niall Ferguson’s ‘Kissinger’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Niall Ferguson’s ‘Kissinger’

This week, Niall Ferguson discusses his biography of Henry Kissinger; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Sloane Crosley talks about “The Clasp”; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller new...

2 Okt 201537min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Black Silent Majority’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Black Silent Majority’

This week, Khalil Gibran Muhammad talks about Michael Javen Fortner’s “Black Silent Majority”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Hanna Rosin discusses David Brock’s “Killing the Mess...

25 Sep 201540min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘The Court and the World’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘The Court and the World’

This week, John Fabian Witt talks about Stephen Breyer’s new book; Alexandra Alter has news from the literary world; Mira Jacob discusses three new coming-of-age novels; Sam Tanenhaus reminisces about...

18 Sep 201551min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Fates and Furies’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Fates and Furies’

This week, Lauren Groff talks about her new novel, “Fates and Furies”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Scott Shane discusses “Objective Troy”; feedback from listeners; and Gregory ...

11 Sep 201541min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Bill Clegg’s Debut Novel

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Bill Clegg’s Debut Novel

This week, Bill Clegg talks about “Did You Ever Have a Family”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Kathryn J. Edin discusses "$2.00 a Day”; feedback from readers; and Gregory Cowles h...

4 Sep 201535min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’

This week, Ari Berman and Simon Winchester. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/...

30 Aug 201527min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’

This week, Ari Berman and Simon Winchester. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/...

30 Aug 201527min

Populärt inom Fritid

somna-med-henrik
uggla-ugglas-podcast
man-i-grupp
roda-vita-rosen
elbilsveckan
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-livsreglerna
travpodden
jordkommissionen
billgren-wood
svenska-fpl-podden
avsuttet-med-elsa-johanna
sexet
rss-horrujeje
rss-vara-klassiker
rss-algjagare-emellan
spokhistorier
rss-odla
rss-okrystat
tp-podden