David Sedaris Books

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.

I laughed out loud reading these plays! Seriously, David Sedaris is one warped individual who has given all of us the gift of sharing his experiences! You will not be sorry you read this. Unless, of course, you are really uptight. If you need a good laugh, a good irreverent laugh... this is for you!

It would appear many of stories are somewhat based off the authors life. Some of the stories are just sarcastic takes on society and how people act though. I liked this book, the first of the authors I had ever read. I was compelled to make my purchase after hearing the author on NPR giving an interview and reciting a few paragraphs from the Santaland story. I wasn't disappointed. If you like to l laugh and think, this is for you. It probably helps to be a bit jaded and appreciate a darker humor.

I picked up this book at the library after recognizing the title of "The Santaland Diaries" from posters I had seen in downtown Pittsburgh at Christmastime. Figuring it would be a quick read, I borrowed it and started paging through it.

I don't think I ever stopped laughing.

"The Santaland Diaries" is a hilarious one-man play about the author's experiences working as an elf in Santaland at Macy's department store in New York City. Chronicling everything from his dismay at having to choose an 'elf name' to be referred to as, to his questionable co-workers (including profiles of all the Santas and the woman who desperately wanted to wear her costume home everyday), the quality of visitors, and his final relief at the end of the season, Sedaris has put together a brilliant piece of work.

I only regret that I missed the chance to see this performed at Christmastime, and hope that I have a chance to see a future show. It's worth a read, at the very least, and you may find yourself quoting it as I have ("It breaks my heart to see a grown man dressed as a taco" is one of my favorite lines, and I find ways to use it in conversation entirely too often). Great for a quick pick-me-up.

I bought this compilation because after purchasing "Strangers With Candy" Season One on DVD, this kept showing up in my Amazon recommendations every day for over a month. I read the reviews, and decided it couldn't be that bad. It wasn't. It just wasn't that super, either. Sure, there are funny parts, and sure I could envision some of this on the stage, but the truth is that David Sedaris' storytelling is good but somewhat short of other NPR geniuses like Garrison Keillor.

I'll keep reading him, in search of the comedy stroke that so many others seem to have found, but I guarantee no milk was coming out of my nose while choking out laughter during this read. It kind of seems like the sort of writing a high school kid might do on a sitcom (the character Warren P. Chestwick from NBC's "Ed" comes to mind) to blossom his stage career, but it just doesn't hold up well on its own. Call me uncultured if you want, but I just don't think he's worth the salt of some of the other NPR favorites. But like I said, I'll keep reading.

"The Santaland Diaries" is superlative satire. The words bristle and delight. Sedaris is a genuine American voice -- witty, sardonic, removed, unpredictable. I have seen "Santaland" work on stage many times. Way funny stuff.

However, why read a script when you can read the original prose in *Barrel Fever* or *Holidays on Ice*? You could even track down Sedaris reading it aloud on CD? The DPS script seems a backwards way to encounter "Santaland" on the page.

As far as "Seasons Greetings" goes, well, let's just say that this is not a piece of writing for the ages.

I swear, David Sedaris is one of the funniest human beings alive today. Whether recalling his high school days in Raleigh, North Carolina, or wandering the world from Normandy to Japan with Hugh, he always seems to be able to find the funny side of life. What is remarkable is his ability to find the humor in situations that are sad and tragic. There can a dark side to humor sometimes, a constant reminder that sometimes we laugh to keep from crying, sometimes we laugh while we are crying. I've now read everything the man has written - not a dud in the lot. I can't recommend his work highly enough. I would add one caveat. Some of his stories are rated "R" for language. Even in these lax and liberal days, I would be reluctant to pass his stories along to young children or those of a Neo-Puritan mindset.

So I feel compelled to write a review. This book is absurd. It is perverse. It sometimes is uncomfortable to read. I didn't love it the first time I read it and it has grown on me like a fungus. I certainly understand why lots and lots of people don't like it but I would like to impress on those who are reading the reviews that the book is not BAD, just a little unpolished. It seems that the speaker is a chain-smoking, neurotic, self-absorbed, outcast whose mind can never slow down. And these are those 3 am rants that pop up in his brain. Any they are funny, in a really dark way.

I prefer Me Talk Pretty One Day, my husband prefers this one. Both excellent books!

With this being the first David Sedaris book I have read, I had high hopes. It was read after recommendations comparing him to another favorite author. While there are several laugh out loud moments - mostly in the later stages of the book - for the most part I was disappointed by the inconsistent and boring majority of what reads like the diary of a dysfunctional person.

The two best stories, stories which redeem the rest of the book and are substantial on their own, are clearly "Barrel Fever" and "SantaLand Diaries", both of which had me in stitches.

"Barrel Fever" is the story of a man with a twisted sense of humor and a caustic wit. Adolph has an inheritance from his mother, no reason to work, and a best friend with an alcohol problem. His zany observations, hilarious comments and suggestions for others, and the manner in which he can blatantly lie for self-amusement reminded me quite a bit of the Ignatius J. Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces. Part misanthrope, part crazy man, part comedian, Adolph is someone who could provide countless hours of entertainment if he weren't so lazy and unpredictable.

In "SantaLand Diaries", Sedaris creates his most memorable piece. It's hilarious from beginning to end, with a definite insight into the madness that is a faux-North Pole at a NYC department store during Christmas season. What was even more impressive to me was the ease with which he blended the comedy with the depressing aspects of over-ambitious parents who attempt to gain social status or the perfect moment vicariously, rather than simply allowing a child to enjoy the experience. Also enjoyable is the insight into an employee who would work as an elf, or who would endure the hordes of whining children and irksome parents during peak season at a mall. How anyone could do the job without going borderline insane, or without mocking and berating customers is beyond my patience or understanding.

Aside from the above two stories, the rest of the book is average. There are far too many dull moments between the chuckles and laughs, and the author seems a bit to concerned with creating a gay memoir rather than simply compiling a worthwhile, memorable collection of stories and essays.

Like the other Sedaris books I've read, this one was at times laugh-out-loud funny. Especially the fictional account of the author's gay love affairs with the people most likely to take offense at being included in such a story: Mike Tyson, Charlton Heston, Bruce Springsteen, etc. The essays and stories in the middle weren't as funny, though, and overall this isn't his best book.

Like some others that reviewed the book, I hastily ordered it and failed to realize that the collection was simply edited and introduced by Mr. Sedaris, not written by him. But I decided to read the book despite my mistake, and I was rewarded instantly. From the first story by Richard Yates to the last by Tobias Wolff, I was entranced; I had to limit myself to a story or two a day so that I could savor the collection longer. Of all the books I have ordered on Amazon, this is the first I have felt compelled to review.

She reads Sedaris a lot and this one was chewed down in a little over a week.

I am a big fan of David Sedaris. Unfortunately this book, despite having his name on it, was not written by him. It is an anthology of works by other writers. If you are looking for a book by David Sedaris do NOT buy this book. I think Amazon could have done a much better job of making it clear that he did not write this book. I am very disappointed.

When I buy a new cookbook, if I find three or four killer recipes, I count my purchase a success. The same might be said for short story compilations. I thank Mr. Sedaris for introducing me to Richard Yates, Charles Baxter and Jhumpa Lahiri. Mr. Yates' story is one of the finest works of short fiction I have ever read, up there with Delmore Schwartz's "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities." The final lines of Jean Thompson's story are absolutely beautiful -- I can't get them out of my head.

....For people with a bit of an off-the-wall sense of looking at the world. If you're looking for a Norman Rockwell-ish collection of Americana, you won't find it here. If, however, you are more into the offbeat, it's a great late-night read. In other words, great collection.

The delivery was quick. This was something my daughter had on her Christmas list. She was very happy I was able to get it and read it the next day. Thank You!

How could other people find this reading too short. IT'S A PLAY. What's more, It's Amy AND David Sedaris. In other words, funny funny funny-you can't go wrong with those two.

It seems rather odd that several of the below reviewers are not familiar with acting editions of plays---or, for that matter, with stage plays in general. The "Dramatists Play Service" on the front cover certainly tells us that that is what this is! Not a pamphlet! Not a short story! While reading it,you should try to envision it being performed by actors on a stage, live, in front of an audience (if some of you know what that means...) And, as such, it is really quite entertaining. I don't see it as more than that, but, then again, neither was "Strangers with Candy"

I saw the play in San Francisco a few years ago. It was very funny. The bit about the AA members running the restaurant is very tongue in cheek.

Another Sedaris chuckle fest. This short script is a view into his twisted mind.

I dont get it, there are two spectrums here. Either they HATE it or LOVE it. I read the book and off the get go, and I knew it was a book that was probably put together to look this way. Poor grammer etc. I liked the book, I liked the stories so I guess I am on the LOVE it side. I never let other reviewers influence my decision on buying a book, everyone has there own taste and somethings are funny to some and not to others. I bought this book along with Chelsea Handlers book and hated her book and liked this one. So judge books and movies yourself and you might discover a hidden gem.

It took me 45 minutes to read this 100 page book. It should not have taken that long but I had to go back and read several sentence fragments over and over again in an attempt to understand what the author was trying to say. The author makes fun of his own inability to write but seriously, "too" is spelled three different ways. Please make an effort to figure out which one to use before you publish something or you only insult the reader who paid money for your "book". And why do people keep saying how funny Mr. Instability is? If not knowing where to place a comma in a sentence if funny, this book is hilarious. Otherwise it's simply maddening to struggle through each two page chapter full of run on sentences, an inability to maintain a coherent story line, and misuse of "their / there" "to / too" and "then / than". Save your money and read the graffiti on a bathroom wall. It makes more sense and is more likely to make you laugh.

It's unbelievably obvious that this "book" was not proofread by an editor at all!! If this publisher is this desperate for authors, then ANYBODY can be considered an author by them! They apparently have no editors on staff for this "book" to be published. This guy (who thinks he's an author now) wrote this with the most absolute worst grammar I have ever seen! In every possible form, on every single page there are multiple grammar mistakes. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't able to speak english properly either. Even with all of that aside, the idea behind this book was stolen from a MUCH better author that wrote a MUCH better book about the same subject. Read Iain Levinson's "A Working Stiff's Manifesto". That book is better than Tom Elsa's little piece of garbage in every possible way!! And you'll feel smarter after reading it, as opposed to having a migraine headache from reading a retard's thoughts for 98 pages, which is the end result of reading "Mr. Instability". (I'm not worried about hurting the author's feelings with this review because he obviously can't read.)

I agree with the other reviewer, that this is supposed to be a COMEDY...It's meant to be funny and I am almost convinced the author purposefully left the grammar in its original state--he did say that he wrote the book at work via email.

I found the book to be gut-busting hilarious. I can't believe the author is still alive after all of the jobs he managed to muck up! I also wonder if there is going to be a sequel!

I read the reviews before purchasing this book and hoped it to be a good book, hell it had 1 bad review out of 6 reviews. I try to keep an open mind when reading books, but this book is just plain bad. Not even a whole 100 pages, horrible grammar, spelling and punctuation, large type, double spaced between paragraphs. I do not know how this book could have gotten published. If a book this bad could get published maybe I should start writing and make a quick buck.

I understood the book was written in emails going back and forth, but really do not waste your time nor money with this book. I really wish I could get back my day that I wasted reading this book.

If you do not believe me on how bad this book is here is an example of what to expect: "I got a job. I picked up garbage. It was hot outside. All my friends played outside. I hated my job. I quit my job. Oh I found a new job. This is what I did. Didn't like this one either, so I quit. Oh another job. And on and on and on..." That is pretty much a summary of what the book is like.

This is definitely a let-down and a product of bad advertising. But the cover is amazing, and I bought it because I speak French. It's actually a little different from "me talk pretty one day" -- there are more french inside jokes. If you are bilingual, it's worth the buy. But if you think it's a new David Sedaris book, don't be fooled.

FYI, to the reviewer who so hastily tried to make the other reviewers feel bad, "Je Parler Francais" means "I speak French" not "I talk pretty one day" (It is actually gramatically incorrect in french -- should be "je parle francais")

so maybe you should get your facts straight.

Don't give the book low marks just because you didn't do your research. It's pretty obvious that the book is a French version of "Me Talk Pretty"... Je Parler Francais translates into what?

If you can read/understand French, and haven't read the English version yet, you'll enjoy this book.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who waited excitedly for this book only to discover that it was in French! Why is it even advertised in English?

I am incredibly frustrated to have anticipated this book, to have ordered it to be sent to my parents' house in Missouri, and to have had my mother ship it to me in Paris, where I live, only to find that it is a French translation. I should have paid more attention to the publisher, but ... everyone thought it was a new book! Bad advertising, fellas.

This is not a 2 star book. Don't rate the book poorly because you didn't make the connection.

It's just as fabulous as "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and it's in french.