The Camera My Mother Gave Me (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Susanna Kaysen Play Audiobook Sample

The Camera My Mother Gave Me Audiobook (Unabridged)

The Camera My Mother Gave Me (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Susanna Kaysen Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Susanna Kaysen Publisher: Phoenix Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 1.83 hours at 1.5x Speed 1.38 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: August 2002 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN:

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Publisher Description

The Camera My Mother Gave Me takes us through Susanna Kaysen's often comic, sometimes surreal encounters with all kinds of doctors: internists, gynecologists, alternative health experts, as well as with her boyfriend and her friends, when suddenly, inexplicably, something went wrong with her vagina.

The title comes from Luis Bunuel's film Viridiana. Some peasants are at a banquet in a country mansion. They ask a maid to take a group snapshot, and she obliges, lifting up her skirt and using the camera that's underneath.

Kaysen's The Camera My Mother Gave Me observes what happens when sexual pleasure is replaced by pain. When eros goes away, she writes, it's as if I'm colorblind. The world is gray. But is this a problem of body, or mind? And can clinicians tease out the difference between the two?

Spare, frank, and altogether original, The Camera My Mother Gave Me challenges us to think in new ways about the centrality and power of sexuality. It is an extraordinary investigation into the role sex plays in perception and our notions of ourselves, and into what happens when the erotic impulse meets the world of medicine.

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"I wasn't sure how I'd like reading a memoir about a vagina, but I could relate. Not to the particular illness/disorder Kaysen describes, but the not-knowing quest that takes you to doctor's office to doctor's office to doctor's office, hearing different theories each time, trying several "remedies" and asking tons of questions. It's written well, and at no point--even on the first page--does she apologize for discussing her vagina so bluntly. The whole memoir is very matter of fact, making it more understandable."

— Alexis (4 out of 5 stars)

The Camera My Mother Gave Me (Unabridged) Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.45161290322581 out of 53.45161290322581 out of 53.45161290322581 out of 53.45161290322581 out of 53.45161290322581 out of 5 (3.45)
5 Stars: 6
4 Stars: 10
3 Stars: 10
2 Stars: 2
1 Stars: 3
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
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Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " It was incredible. What a brave human being. "

    — The, 2/7/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Great, the joys of pre-menaupause.....really! REALLY! I don't know if I'm glad I read this book....It was painful at times just to imagine some of the experiences the aurthor went through....I am keeping my fingers crossed starting now....oh please oh please, i sure hope I don't go through that because I love sex way to much to just give it up like that; in such a painful way :-) "

    — Cece, 2/5/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " As someone who has gone through a situation similar to Kaysen's, I can honestly say I appreciated the frustration of her story, especially when it comes to a lack of answers and treatments for her ailment. People have no idea how complicated and finicky vaginas can be until something goes wrong with them. But I don't think it needed to be a book. Maybe it would have worked better as a blog entry. "

    — Lisa, 1/25/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It is going well so far..... "

    — Becca, 1/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " More than I ever needed to know about one middle-aged woman's vagina problems. 'Nuff said. "

    — Shaina, 12/19/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " More than I ever wanted to know about someone else's vagina. Intriguing though. "

    — Heather, 12/17/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Do not be fooled by the title of this book. It is not about a camera. It is about the whiny's author's vaginal pain and that's about it. "

    — Christy, 11/30/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Absolutely horrifying and brief. There is far too little of Susanna Kaysen out there. "

    — Darcy, 10/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book is about Susanna Kaysen's vagina. It is where I learned about the "your bladder is healthy if you can pee for at least 7 seconds at a time" guideline that literally changed my life. High five healthy nether regions! "

    — Katie, 10/24/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I think it was very brave to write a whole book about such embarrassing problem. Book has an open ending and that's sad. I want to know if she was healed someday. "

    — Anastasia, 10/16/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " not about a camera... "

    — Heidi, 8/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " A short read (my excuse for finishing) that is ENTIRELY about a woman's mysterious vaginal pain. "

    — Rose, 7/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Despite the suffering clearly felt by the author during the course of her story, I felt myself enjoying her narrative. Susanna Kaysen never lets me down. "

    — Marie, 1/9/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Also one of my all-time favorites by Susanna Kaysen. "

    — Phoebe, 11/15/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Interesting...now I'm going to reread her other book, Girl Interrupted. I think I will have a new insight about this writing. "

    — Tamela, 10/3/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " vaginas have feelings too. "

    — Empress, 8/18/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book is hilarious. For anyone who's had vagina trouble, or any sort of trouble involving rotating between doctors who don't seem to know what's going on, this book is a must read. Funny, sad, edgy. Good book. "

    — Kristie, 5/24/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Anyone who has had to deal with this painful issue, as I have.. will appreciate what we go though to get a proper diagnoses and treatment and it is nice to know you are not alone "

    — Kelly, 2/25/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Likely interesting for most women to read. How often is there a whole book dedicated to a woman's relationship to her vag? And how all the doctors, especially the males, cannot understand it. Even tho it is a short one- I read it in one day. Both funny and tragic. "

    — Adeline, 2/14/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " this made me realised how to take care of my all mighty vagina muwahha "

    — Janna, 11/18/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " She's an amazingly honest writer! Wow. "

    — Marla, 11/17/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Susanna Kaysen's vagina hurts. End of story. "

    — Kate, 5/25/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " the author of "Girl, Interrupted" writes a short memoir about the experience of having unexplainable and untreatable pain in her vagina. yeah. it's a much-taken-for-granted body part she finds out, and when it doesn't work right, it really affects her life. "

    — Rachel, 4/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A strange book about Kaysen's vagina... a bit TMI at times! "

    — Stephanie, 2/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Absolutely horrifying and brief. There is far too little of Susanna Kaysen out there. "

    — Darcy, 8/10/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " All I can say is this is a really sensible book for any woman. Topics of sexuality and sensuality, self-realization and understanding your connection to the world as a woman. Brilliant story, and very short! You can go through it in a few days. "

    — Tia, 3/13/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It is going well so far..... "

    — Becca, 3/9/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " The day my vagina got broken. This book is by the same woman who wrote Girl, Interrupted, which I have never read and until recently I hadn't seen the movie either. The movie was awesome. "

    — Laura, 3/5/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Talk about vagina monologue...Whew!! I love Kaysen's writing style. She tells with humor and wit about her encounters with all manner of doctors and alternative health experts to find a cure for the horrible pain in her vagina. Very quick read! "

    — Ellen, 1/14/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " It was incredible. What a brave human being. "

    — The, 11/4/2009
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Fast read. Unfortunately, the sixth chapter from the end, "How This Story Should End," is where it should have ended. "

    — Aneesa, 9/2/2009

About Susanna Kaysen

Susanna Kaysen has written the novels Asa, As I Knew Him and Far Afield, and the memoirs Girl, Interrupted and The Camera My Mother Gave Me.