David Sedaris Books

This was the first David Sedaris book I ever read. After reading this book I bought and read three other books of his. This one has turned out to be my most favorite. Once you start reading you won't want to put down. Sedaris will have you laughing over and over again with his bizarre and intriguing memoir. If you read only one Sedaris book ever, choose Corduroy and Denim.

I've enjoyed Dave Sedaris's work since I first heard an abridged reading of SantaLand Diaries on NPR several years ago. I loved the unabridged and somewhat edgier version even more. I have enjoyed every one of his essay collections. His delivery, written and spoken, is unique.

On the other hand, I am no Sedarista. While some of his pieces are funny or touching or thoughtful or odd, others are a bit creepy. I first read The Girl Next Door in The New Yorker and it was disturbing, not only because of the strange family he describes, but because of his own behavior. It was no less disturbing a second time around.

All but one of the essays in this collection have appeared before, in magazines or on radio. The single essay that seems to be newly published here is Chicken in the Henhouse, funny in places, but it left me uneasy in the same way that The Girl Next Door did.

These essays have Sedaris's family as their theme. Apparently the family member who is most comfortable in his own skin is his younger brother, Paul, a Southern redneck who surrounds himself with clutter and dogs. Sedaris never mentions that his sister Amy is also a writer. There are funny lines and conversations, but I wouldn't categorize this as a humor collection. His previous collections have included mainstream funny essays with more serious and unsettling pieces. This collection contains nothing like SantaLand Diaries or Me Talk Pretty One Day and Jesus Shaves, two fabulous essays about the trials of learning French, and trying to explain, with limited vocabulary, why an egg-laying bunny is the symbol of Easter in America. The pieces in Dress Your Family are a little too honest and revealing to be comfortably funny.

But I read every word. Sedaris's writing is clean and spare. He doesn't waste any words. These essays, as effortless as they read, must have required merciless editing on Sedaris's part to remove every unnecessary word, and to make every phrase just the right one.

Which is why I am still puzzling over the title. There is no essay called Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, nor is there any reference to corduroy or denim. Perhaps it has to do with the French origin of the words? Maybe the reason is so obvious that when someone tells me what it means, I'll smack my forehead and feel like a dope. But meanwhile, I'm stumped.

This is a great book to read. Not as funny as Me Talk Pretty One Day, but all of his books are excellent. I'm onto my 3rd David Sedaris Book in a month!

I cant wait for David's new book to come out in June! I love books like this and cant wait! I liked Mr Instability its the same as these books and just ordered Naked!

Its a great book, although some parts had me grimacing rather than laughing, I really enjoyed it.

I'll make it very short and sweet.

This is his best book so far. If you never read his work start with this one (Although 'santaland diaries' from Barrel Fever is one of the funniest thing I've read).

only a quarter the way through it but so far its a hit and right on.

Firstly, let me state that I did NOT finish this book. The reason being is that after reading all the hype surrounding this book, I had high expectations of the humour and writing.....and after trying to read around 4-5 chapters, I found myself not agreeing with the hype. Maybe if all the chapters had flowed as one continuous story it may have held my attention more. I just couldn't get into the whole story despite desperately wanting to enjoy this. And I didn't find it as funny as everyone else had spoken about, so this compounded my exasperation with this book. Maybe I will come back to it another time, when really desperate.

Two scenarios:

1. I'm a friend of yours. One day I call you on the phone and tell you about something really funny that happened to me yesterday. Its one of the funniest stories you've ever heard. You totally crack up.

2. I'm a friend of yours. One day I call you on the phone and tell you about something really funny that happened to me yesterday. Its one of the funniest stories you've ever heard. You totally crack up. Then I tell you that I made about half of it up. Just to make it funnier.

Scenario 1= pretty good friend.
Scenario 2= slightly desperate and pathetic attempt at humor. Comes off a bit needy.

great book if you like the colbert show people who do not enjoy the show, then save your moneu.
i gave it 4 stars since i didnt love ch. 2 much.

I laughed out loud more than from any book in a long time. The final laugh is to see that most of the negative reviews here are from people who don't even realize Colbert's character is a parody.

I like the Colbert Report TV show, and this book is funny, but honestly I only got through a few chapters because much of it is just the wanderings and somewhat random musings of Colbert's mind on everything from politics to families to whatever crosses his mind. Some of it is really quite funny, but it got kind of fatiguing and boring.

Two things I find amazing about this guy - 1, he never comes out of character or at least I have never seen him out of character and 2, he changed the pronunciation of his last name to sound what..., French?

I guess I'm considered a Welfare Dad because I didn't buy this garbage, I borrowed it, the CD version, from a friend at work (now I have to reconsider my friendship because my buddy actually thinks this guy is funny). Anyway, after listening to about half the first disc I can honestly say that I haven't even cracked a smile yet. Obtuse cynicism at its worst is all I can call this excuse for a book. Certainly anybody that thinks this is funny, humorous, poignant or sarcastic wit hasn't read or listened to any real humor.

The thing that bothers me most about Colbert (pronounced col-burt and not col-bear) is that I have never seen him out of character leaving me to believe that this guy is really the cynical idiot he portrays himself to be and wondering if he actually applies his value system to his own life. I don't know much about him nor do I care too but I only hope that his family isn't affected by his view of life.

I always read the worst reviews first to see what people have to say negatively about something before I make my decision. I am honest enough to say that I'm not a fan of this guy - I really can't stand him - but I figured hey, he's supposed to be a comedian so let's see how funny he is - well - he ain't funny!!!!

As long as Stephen Colbert has been performing, he's been writing. This is a brilliant man in full command of a comedic sensibility that has been delighting me for many years. When I discovered that a book would be released written in the tone of the right-wing blow-hard character that he has created for The Colbert Report, I was thrilled. When I finally got my hands on a copy (not easy to do at first, since I live in the UK), I was not disappointed in the least.

Colbert loses none of the bombastic style of his alter ego, and the observations made are riotously funny. The section where he describes all one needs to know to have a college education is perfection. I also loved his chapter on the dominance over animals (love to Gipper!)

I have heard from many, many people that Stephen Colbert, in real life, is a mild-mannered, kind man who is polite and decent. To read the rants of the egomaniacal jerk he's created to lampoon the screaming heads on television (whoever yells the loudest wins, apparently) is a bit surreal, but never unsatisfying.

I look eagerly forward to more from Stephen Colbert, in whatever media he uses to share it. No matter how I get to experience his humor, I know I'll be in for a treat.

I don't believe that Sedaris intended a hilarious read like Me Talk Pretty One Day. While reading this book, all I could think was that he was pouring his heart out about some very painful events in his life and about painful observations about humanity (the chapter about TV, for instance) but had to throw in some comedy for those who expect it from him. I read this book and laughed out loud a number of times, but I also cried a few times. This book was very well written and is funny but also painful at times.

This book is my Fav. of Sedaris. You feel like you are part of the family while reading this book. There are some very funny parts that had me laughing out loud. Enjoy

David Sedaris, the lucky devil, has the rare knack of being able to produce humorous, well-written insights to everyday activity. It also helps that his everyday activity includes dealing with his somewhat peculiar family (...David Sedaris himself is a bit odd). In 'Dress Your Family...' we have a collection of somewhat random vignettes of his life. Again most of these are quite funny, sometimes down right hilarious. But unfortunately, a handful of them are somewhat dull or even a bit confusing. On balance the book is a lighthearted read that is likely to make David Sedaris fans of its readers.


Bottom line: recommended.

This book stood out on the shelf. At the time i purchased it i knew nothing of David's works and boy was I in for a surprise! Reading David's collections is one of those guilty pleasures you just cant describe to people. This book is by far one of my all time favorites. I look forward to his new title "when you are engulfed in flames".

A copy of Dress Your Family etc was given to me by a friend, with an enthusiastic recommendation, and served a my intro to humorist Sedaris. A collection of family and daily life-based stories, some are LOL funny, some are poignant, and a few are merely snide. Among my favorites are the hilarious Dutch Christmas essay and final vignette, a tale about a carload of European tourist who stop at the Sedaris house in his French "willage", and David sees the contents of his home through their eyes. The other members of the Sedaris family, with the exception of his witty mom, could not be more different from David, and not only because he is gay. His knack for nail-on-the-head characterizations is outstanding, but he does not allow the comic aspects to obscure the human ones. Witty and wise without being preachy.

I've heard David Sedaris on NPR, reading his own stories aloud. This is my first purchase of one of his books, and my reaction was mixed. The first story about being an elf in a department store was hilarious, especially when read aloud. The other stories, so far (I'm almost through it) have been less successful but still well-written. I'm happy enough with it to purchase other of his books (I see three of them are on one of the top ten fiction lists now) and see if his writing style is one that I truly enjoy.

David and Tom Elsa are my favorite comedy writers and there books make me laugh hysterically! I cant wait for engulfed!

This is the first David Sedaris book I've read and I loved it. The stories had me crying because I was laughing so hard. I didn't laugh as much with the last 2 stories but they still made me chuckle. I really enjoyed Sedaris' sarcastic humor and the way he left me wanting to read more of his books. I plan on buying the rest of his books on my wish list!

i'm a longtime fan of david sedaris -- and sister amy sedaris. they both manage to make me laugh at their most surreal experiences and the clever manner in which they are able to paint the picture for readers. i wish they were more prolific writers so i could enjoy their talents more frequently.

A great book full of funny and sometimes touching stories. If you've heard David Sedaris read his stories on NPR and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy this collection!

first i thought i am missing something but as i read it became so painfully dull ,not funny and finally plain boring really ,at the end i was not really interested anything he had to say, i guess you cant judge a book by its cover.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames is a solid four-stars and damn near close to five; we'll settle for 4.5. But then again, I'm a serious Sedaris fiend.

By now, you (dear reader) have already made up your mind about David Sedaris and have either worked your way through this collection or else long ago discarded him, irrelevant as an expended filter tip.

So if you find yourself in the former category then by all means, read on.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames makes Sedaris' previous collection, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, seem like a disaster, a complete train wreck. Which is unfair because I think that Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is a strong collection with some exemplary essays. And also because I get the feeling that it was a more personal werk for him, that he's a bit more exposed and vulnerable in those essays.

Thematically, When You Are Engulfed In Flames is a reprise of Me Talk Pretty One Day -- highly focused on language and style, on the humanity of humiliation and (to echo some other reviewers) those dark places where our sentimentality tends to get the best of us. But it's a counterpoint melody to Me Talk Pretty One Day -- arrogant where the other was modest, chagrined where the other took delight.

Structurally, this collection is an echo of Naked, though perhaps a bit more mature. As I wrote of DFW's Consider the Lobster, the essays are arranged well, jokes from earlier essays recurring, serving to inform your later tittering. That said, the individual essays seem to follow a rhythm that is new for Sedaris. If this were an elementary school music class, I would say that his earlier essays have a rhyme scheme that goes ABAB, these are turned more toward ABCA.

It seems a cop-out to recommend this collection. Those that are already turned on to Sedaris are unlikely to be disappointed; those that didn't much care for him in the first place won't find anything to change their opinions. Anyone with previous exposure is likely to see symptoms of his previous werks; I suppose the difference is whether you carry the antibodies?

I was reading this book last night and found myself laughing so hard tears were running down my face. Buy this book.

It was a no-brainer buying this book - I knew I'd enjoy it. The only question was how much? Sedaris' voice is strong and true and funny, as always. Having heard him read twice now (with tickets in hand to hear him again this fall), I now hear his voice in my head as I read along. He auditioned several chapters of this latest book on a previous tour and fine tuned them for the new collection. They're still funny but not his most hilarious ever. The book was entertaining and provoked numerous chuckles - no belly laughs this time around for me.

I've always been a big supporter of David Sedaris, but sadly this latest addittion falls short. The writing seems less sharp and incisive overall, with moments of inspired hilarity coming few and far between. Hopefully Sedaris will be able to bounce back from this and wow his readers again.

first i thought i am missing something but as i read it became so painfully dull ,not funny and finally plain boring really ,at the end i was not really interested anything he had to say, i guess you cant judge a book by its cover.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames is a solid four-stars and damn near close to five; we'll settle for 4.5. But then again, I'm a serious Sedaris fiend.

By now, you (dear reader) have already made up your mind about David Sedaris and have either worked your way through this collection or else long ago discarded him, irrelevant as an expended filter tip.

So if you find yourself in the former category then by all means, read on.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames makes Sedaris' previous collection, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, seem like a disaster, a complete train wreck. Which is unfair because I think that Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is a strong collection with some exemplary essays. And also because I get the feeling that it was a more personal werk for him, that he's a bit more exposed and vulnerable in those essays.

Thematically, When You Are Engulfed In Flames is a reprise of Me Talk Pretty One Day -- highly focused on language and style, on the humanity of humiliation and (to echo some other reviewers) those dark places where our sentimentality tends to get the best of us. But it's a counterpoint melody to Me Talk Pretty One Day -- arrogant where the other was modest, chagrined where the other took delight.

Structurally, this collection is an echo of Naked, though perhaps a bit more mature. As I wrote of DFW's Consider the Lobster, the essays are arranged well, jokes from earlier essays recurring, serving to inform your later tittering. That said, the individual essays seem to follow a rhythm that is new for Sedaris. If this were an elementary school music class, I would say that his earlier essays have a rhyme scheme that goes ABAB, these are turned more toward ABCA.

It seems a cop-out to recommend this collection. Those that are already turned on to Sedaris are unlikely to be disappointed; those that didn't much care for him in the first place won't find anything to change their opinions. Anyone with previous exposure is likely to see symptoms of his previous werks; I suppose the difference is whether you carry the antibodies?

I was reading this book last night and found myself laughing so hard tears were running down my face. Buy this book.

It was a no-brainer buying this book - I knew I'd enjoy it. The only question was how much? Sedaris' voice is strong and true and funny, as always. Having heard him read twice now (with tickets in hand to hear him again this fall), I now hear his voice in my head as I read along. He auditioned several chapters of this latest book on a previous tour and fine tuned them for the new collection. They're still funny but not his most hilarious ever. The book was entertaining and provoked numerous chuckles - no belly laughs this time around for me.

I've always been a big supporter of David Sedaris, but sadly this latest addittion falls short. The writing seems less sharp and incisive overall, with moments of inspired hilarity coming few and far between. Hopefully Sedaris will be able to bounce back from this and wow his readers again.

These stories were really hit or miss for me. I found some of the stories hard to get through, and others I absolutely loved (The Best of Betty, Under the Bed, Mr. Lazenbee). The humor is clever and at times quite grim. I enjoyed about half of the stories so much that I may return to the book at some point and give the other half a second shot.

My favorite short story writers are Alice Munro, Lorrie Moore, Amy Bloom and Flannery O'Connor, if that helps you place my taste on the spectrum of what's out there. People looking for the comedy of bleak sarcasm, the kind that leaves you wincing as you laugh (Sedaris, Burroughs), will only be able to find some of that here, but not a lot of it. This is a book about the connections between people, how strange and errant love is. Everyone is quite realistic and human, and there's none of that tied-up-in-a-tidy-bow feeling I get from too many short stories. These stories rely on intelligence rather than cleverness. This collection actually brings something new, fresh and just a little STRANGE to the short story reader; not strange in the sense of bizarre (like Aimee Bender) or parodic (like George Saunders). It's strange in its depth and compassion. Maybe the best way to say it is that each story, no matter how short or ambiguous, is as fully realized as a novel. That's hard to find.

Having an endorsement by the hilarious David Sedaris at the top of this book may have been misleading, because this book is not full of the same kind of absurd outrageousness that makes his books such a riot. There is humor in this collection of stories, but overall this book is more of a bittersweet series of character studies of modern people whose lives often take unexpected turns. What I loved about the book is that none of the stories were formulaic or trite at all. The characters all seemed so real and human, full of complicated and conflicting emotions and desires. Some of my favorites included the advice columnist who transforms her corny column into a postmodern confessional, the confused little girl whose therapist father is too quick to label a sociopath, the rape victim who refuses to have a meltdown, and the rich bachelor who falls in love with a uniquely awkward secretary, only to lose her when her new status turns her into a typical society wife. The author treats her characters like sympathetic friends, who she both admires and pities for all their strengths and flaws.

I agree completely with D.Tjoa's review. I bought it because of Amazon's 'If you like David Sedaris,...', but this is not humor writing. Short stories yes, but if there is humor it is very dark and I couldn't find it. Even irony would have been acceptable... I'll define it as odd and mostly depressing.

1. I agree with the other reviews for this book that the "funny" label slapped all over this book is misleading. It's dark tragicomedy.

2. There are definitely some pieces I enjoyed like Best of Betty and Resume. And I enjoyed the way this author describes things. But as far as the content of most of the stories, it felt like a bunch of really well-written but intensely disconnected sketches. There were many times I got to the end of a story and asked, what in the hell was that? What was the point? I don't get it (and yes, I **get** things -- no reviewer should insult other readers who don't like a certain kind of book). Apparently this book speaks to some people but if you like your philosophical fiction in comprehensible format, this book is not for you. I enjoy artistry but not obfuscation. It reminds me of a friend who says really deep things and is so in his own world, and I can tell he's saying something really deep but he's speaking so nebulously that I just don't get it. And I get frustrated and tell him to be clearer and repeat back what I think I'm hearing him say until he confirms that's what he meant. That's what this book is like. Father of Invention...what was that about? It feels like someone trying too hard...like performance art on paper.

3. I will add the disclaimer that I prefer more "storytelling" narrations like the Red Tent by Anita Diamant; She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb; Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs; Life of Pi by Yann Martel; God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Vonnegut. John Irving. So maybe this book just isn't for me. Just warning people that it may not be for you either if you prefer traditional stories to sketches.

This was a frustratingly uneven collection - when I pick up a book like this I expect consistent quality because the editors have done the work for me. But like another reviewer, perhaps I should have considered the fact that Frances Mayes edited this collection, and I'm not a fan of her work.
That said, a number of these pieces are worth seeking out. The best include Michael Finkel's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Void," which will take you into the heart of the Sahara. Devin Friedman's "Forty Years in Acapulco," William Booth's "Throw Junior from the Car," and Lawrence Millman's "In the Land of the White Rajahs" are all very funny takes on the people and places that move us to travel. Kate Wheeler's "The Fist of God" is a stunning piece on the shocking fight festivals still held in some corners of Bolivia. Isabelle Tree's "Spetses, Greece" is a charming glipse of a corner of the world she has made into a home. And Tom Mueller's "Ancient Roads, Walled Cities" is a moving meditation on Roman roads and the power of stone to hold memory. David Sedaris' "The Man Upstairs" is funny but quite short.
On the downside, three pieces on 9/11 challenged my definition of travel writing. Only Scott Anderson's "Below Canal Street" had anything new to say on the topic, although to be fair all were writen much closer to that tragic day. Steven Bodio's "Sovereigns of the Sky" was much less about a place than a sport, and an archaic one that I didn't want to see up this close - hunting with birds. Rod Davis' "A Rio Runs Through It" told us a lot about the state and culture of life along the Rio Grande, but it is overlong and gets redundant. And I found Elizabeth Nickerson's "Where the Bee Sucks" to be a self-indulgent mess.
When this collection is good it's very good, but when it's bad it's awful.

If you like short stories and travelogues you'll love this book. These are the best of the best. And like some reviewers have already mentioned, there are a wide variety of experiences and information in this collection of essays. I found myself laughing in Devin Friedman's "Forty Years in Acapulco" and Lawwrence Millman's "In the Land of the White Rajahs" and learning new information from Molly O'Neill's "Home For Dinner." I admit, however, that I did enjoy soem of the essays much better than others, but they are all very well-written and image provoking. It's as if I traveled the world without leaving my room.

I have been a big fan of this series and really enjoyed last year's compilation edited by Theroux. I also must admit that I really enjoy Theroux's travel writing as well. This year's edition, edited by Mayes, has the same faults that her books do, namely, they are long on description and short on plot. I have not gotten all of the way through The Best American Travel Writing of 2002 yet but what I have read is very similar to Mayes' "Under the Tuscan Sun". If you really like tales of flowery, descriptive (and dull) walks though Italian streets, etc. you will probably enjoy this book but if you are looking for more "great adventures" travel stories, try the 2001 edition instead.

What a convenience to be able to find high-quality travel writing all condensed into one volume. This book covers the globe in its range of articles and essays, from Papa New Guinea to the Texas/Mexican border, from Greece to the Sahara, from Bolivia to Israel.

I found several inclusions to be truly excellent - especially Scott Anderson's piece on 9/11, Rod Davis's article on the US-Mexican border in Texas, Michael Finkel's article about the void in the Sahara, Elizabeth Nickson's piece on Salt Spring Island, Molly O'Neill following a Cambodian chef home, Kira Salak in Papa New Guinea, and Kate Wheeler in violent Bolivia. Some pieces though were a bit blah and the fact that they were alphabetically arranged meant the flow wasn't ideal. For example, the first 144 pages of the book were all by male writers, leaving me starved for a different perspective by the time I reached Kate Hennessey's piece.

There is a decidedly male tone to the book, which I found disappointing, with only 7 women represented among the 26 writers. This was reflected in a thematic focus of finding the most outlandish, isolated place on earth. I would have liked a little less reading about people setting out to do what no one had done before, and more human interactions with people of different places and cultures.

But overall, this book offers armchair travelers the opportunity to enter many different worlds from the comfort of their favorite reading place.

Although I didn't like most of the stories in this anthology, there were a few that I really, really, really loved. And they made it worth the price of the book, over and over.
The introduction by Frances Mayes is a gem and really sets the tone. Especially if you were wondering why a report on 9-11 would qualify for "travel writing". (After you read that introduction, you'll -unbelievably - have to agree that it does).

The story "40 years in Acapulco" is worth the price of the book by itself. I came away feeling almost guilty like a voyeur, as if I had just gotten a sneak peek into somebody elses life. I was literally transported.

The 2000 version is much more upbeat than this one. But then, I suppose we were living in a much more upbeat "travel" world then.