Narrated by David Sedaris, The Land and Its People by David Sedaris has a runtime of 7 hrs 26 mins on Audible.
Publisher’s Summary
In this new collection, recorded live, on-location from Massachusetts to California, David Sedaris reflects on what it means to be a foreigner, a brother, a lifelong friend, in essays that are “among the best of his career” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
“A welcome return to form for the much-awarded and much-loved humorist…Sedaris remains a national treasure.” —Kirkus (starred review)
In The Land and Its People, Sedaris investigates what it means to be a traveler, a brother, a lifelong friend. Trying on the role of caretaker after his boyfriend Hugh’s hip-replacement surgery, he both succeeds and fails. He covers ground with his friend Dawn and challenges her to eat a truck tire. A ambivalent Duolingo bot becomes his unlikely confidante as he attempts to describe his family in a foreign language. Ever adding to his list of “Countries I Have Been To,” he rides a horse named Tequila in Guatemala, buys a bespoke priest’s cassock in Vatican City, and goes on safari in Kenya without taking a single photo.
Time takes its toll: scrolling through his address book, he counts those he couldn’t bear to outlive, and realizes how many are already gone. He is bitten by a dog and insulted by a wee train passenger. A woman on the street late at night either sexually harasses him or doesn’t. It’s easy to agree with the lady waving a sign that reads, “Enough Is Enough.” And yet, life holds much to delight in: the massive testicles of a ram, a trip abroad with his sisters, a really excellent reptile video, a pair of well-made cotton underpants.
Throughout these essays—recorded live, on-location,at once acerbic and tender, playful and profound—Sedaris shows how much there is to marvel at when you keep your head up and your eyes open, observing with warmth and curiosity our fascinating human species and the lands we inhabit.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 7 hrs 26 mins
- Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
- Release year: 2026
- Audible category: Relationships, Parenting & Personal Development / Parenting & Families / Siblings
Listener Ratings
The Land and Its People holds an average listener rating of 4.8/5 from 1194 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.9/5
- Story: 4.8/5
- 5-star ratings: 87% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
5/5 stars — “I needed this book at this time!”
David makes me laugh out loud like no one else. I needed some good belly laughs during these uncertain times. Thank you, sir.— P Goettel, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Splendid!”
Another amazing collection of works by one of the best writers of our century. The unfiltered view he takes on the world is easy to relate to as so many of us have similar thoughts but never the courage to say it out loud.— J. Claibourn, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Epic stories, Satire of Complexity…but…”
Epic stories, Satire of Complexity and surreal awesomeness….But those stupid loud percussive noises in between chapters/essays are just silly loud & totally stupid…David and producers!!?? What is up?? hahaha… they’re like a joke of annoyance?? ya’ll are smokin crack, fentanyl, etc?? haha
— kevin, Audible listener
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