.gif)
Naked (book)
Encyclopedia
Naked, published in 1997, is a collection of essay
s by American humorist David Sedaris
. The book details Sedaris’ life, from his unusual upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina
, to his booze-and-drug-ridden college years, to his Kerouacian
wandering as a young adult. The book became a best-seller and was acclaimed for its wit, dark humor and irreverent tackling of tragic events, including the death of Sedaris’ mother. Prior to publication, several of the essays were read by the author on the NPR
program This American Life
.
.
and Tourettic
tendencies as a child. His behavior quirks include licking light switches and kissing newspapers, and they frequently land him in trouble at school. These tendencies are abandoned when he begins smoking at college.
. When she dies, only his father seems to mourn.
that Sedaris finds when he is a child. The book is passed between his siblings, and eventually confiscated by his mother, who in turn reads it.
of Sedaris' sister, which takes place at a golf championship.
, by Sedaris' mother and sister. Sedaris also describes his exploits as an amateur detective.
in Raleigh. The behavior of the residents of the hospital ranges from violent to submissive.
. He realizes that he is gay while at summer camp in Greece as a teenager, where he develops a crush on another male camper.
.
experiences, which began after he saw the film Planet of the Apes
for the first time.
for handicapped students. While living in the facility, he befriends a quadriplegic female student, and the two go on a cross-country trip, posing as a newlywed husband and wife in need of medical treatment.
.
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s by American humorist David Sedaris
David Sedaris
David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
. The book details Sedaris’ life, from his unusual upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, to his booze-and-drug-ridden college years, to his Kerouacian
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
wandering as a young adult. The book became a best-seller and was acclaimed for its wit, dark humor and irreverent tackling of tragic events, including the death of Sedaris’ mother. Prior to publication, several of the essays were read by the author on the NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
program This American Life
This American Life
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
.
Chipped Beef
About the early life of the Sedaris family, and David's hopes to one day be rich and famous. It is revealed that the family is actually middle classMiddle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
.
A Plague of Tics
A description of Sedaris' obsessive-compulsiveObsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...
and Tourettic
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic; these tics characteristically wax and wane...
tendencies as a child. His behavior quirks include licking light switches and kissing newspapers, and they frequently land him in trouble at school. These tendencies are abandoned when he begins smoking at college.
Get Your Ya-Ya's Out!
An account of Sedaris' elderly (and slightly senile) grandmother, known as Ya-Ya. After suffering an injury she is forced to live with his family, resulting in tension for all. Eventually, at the urging of Sedaris' mom (who was against Ya-Ya moving in with the family in the first place), she is put into a low-grade nursing homeNursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
. When she dies, only his father seems to mourn.
Next of Kin
A description of events regarding a pornographic bookPornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
that Sedaris finds when he is a child. The book is passed between his siblings, and eventually confiscated by his mother, who in turn reads it.
Cyclops
A description of cautionary tales passed down among family members. Its name comes from a tale told by Sedaris' father in which he claims to have accidentally blinded a friend in one eye.The Women's Open
An account of the first menstruationMenstruation
Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
of Sedaris' sister, which takes place at a golf championship.
True Detective
A description of the interest shown in detective shows, such as The FugitiveThe Fugitive (TV series)
The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, by Sedaris' mother and sister. Sedaris also describes his exploits as an amateur detective.
Dix Hill
A recollection of Sedaris' first job at the Dorothea Dix HospitalDorothea Dix Hospital
The Dorthea Dix Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located on Dix Hill in Raleigh, North Carolina and named after mental health advocate Dorothea Dix.In 1848, Dorothea Dix visited North Carolina and called for reform in the care of mentally ill patients...
in Raleigh. The behavior of the residents of the hospital ranges from violent to submissive.
I Like Guys
A recollection of Sedaris' discovery of his homosexualityHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. He realizes that he is gay while at summer camp in Greece as a teenager, where he develops a crush on another male camper.
The Drama Bug
An account of Sedaris' attempts at acting after being introduced to Shakespeare by an actor's classroom visit. Sedaris finds that the playwright's florid Elizabethan language appeals to him, and begins to use it in regular conversation.Dinah, the Christmas Whore
A description of Sedaris' job at a cafeteria during his Christmas break as a teenager. On one occasion, he and sister Lisa embark on a mission to extract her coworker (a recently paroled former prostitute) from a domestic disturbance in the slums of Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
.
Planet of the Apes
A recollection of Sedaris' hitchhikingHitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicle to travel a distance that may either be short or long...
experiences, which began after he saw the film Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
for the first time.
The Incomplete Quad
A recounting of Sedaris' job at a college dormitoryDormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
for handicapped students. While living in the facility, he befriends a quadriplegic female student, and the two go on a cross-country trip, posing as a newlywed husband and wife in need of medical treatment.
C.O.G.
A description of Sedaris' job cutting stone into clocks in the shape of Oregon. He teams up with a co-worker who describes himself as a "C.O.G." (Child of God), and the two try to sell their stones at local craft fairs.Something for Everyone
A description of Sedaris' time spent refurbishing the house of a woman named Uta.Ashes
A recollection of the marriage of Sedaris' sister and his mother's impending death from cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.