The Works of David Sedaris

[MissPandora]

So what's wrong with other people picking up DS based on someone else enjoying it? The more the merrier, I say.

[HarpofLorien]

I saw him Sunday in Denver and got the chance to introduce Mr. Harpie to his work and his humor. MrH became an instant fan and took home three DS books - two from my collection, as well as the latest.

[eclair]

Laughing like a crazy person while riding public transportation is the problem, not sharing the DS love. :)Sorry I was unclear. If I knew I could recruite others I would carry extra copies of his books with me. Instead, I give them as gifts.

[sammybee]

I'm not crazy about the new book. It's alright, funnier than the average book, but nothing special. I've enjoyed it, smiled a few times, but I've yet to laugh out loud. I'm half-way through the smoking section, it's the highlight so far, maybe it will end with a bang. Hopefully.

[emersende]

A few weeks ago my brother told me about DS making an appearance on the Daily Show and talking about how he moved to Japan to quit smoking and I started worrying that he had broken up with Hugh. I'm pretty sure there still together. But of all the well-known couples out there, I've realized, they are one of the few that I'd be really sorry to see split up.

Before, the only thing of his I'd been able to get into was Me Talk Pretty Someday- the essays about his French classes made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. Unfortunately sometimes his writing is just cynical and doesn't doesn't have that . . . whatever it is that makes me laugh. But I got Barrel Fever recently and enjoyed a lot of it. "The Santaland Diaries", of course, but also the part in Glen's Homophobia Newsletter story when the narrator is talking on the phone with a guy and convinces the guy to put the telephone receiver into his underwear and start jumping had me rolling.

[biondetta]

I take public transportation to go to work and yesterday I was reading the Santa and 6-8 black men and I couldn't stop laughing.

Ah, the Dutch Christmas bit! I've just moved to the Netherlands and can't wait for Christmas! My boyfriend and I manage to make reference to it all the time as it is. As we will soon be taking language lessons, as well, I'm hoping to have half as much "fun" as David had in his French class. I love listening to the French class story on NPR. The way he ends it as he's talking about the Easter bell, saying "that's just fucked up" has me in hysterics. His delivery is priceless!

[bklynred]

Jun 27, 2008 14:12:24 GMT -4 sammybee said:

I'm not crazy about the new book. It's alright, funnier than the average book, but nothing special. I've enjoyed it, smiled a few times, but I've yet to laugh out loud. I'm half-way through the smoking section, it's the highlight so far, maybe it will end with a bang. Hopefully.

So based on his other works, is this one a purchase or a library loaner?

[sammybee]

My vote is library, or at least wait for it to be available in paperback. While the book had some very funny moments, it pales in compassion to his other works. The most enjoyable part of reading it was recognizing things I've heard him read live and looking for the little differences in the printed versions, like the story about the boil was better live, the story about the spiders was funnier in print.

[clementine74]

Hm--I really liked it! For me, nothing will compare to Me Talk.., and I think whomever said that the book you read first is the one that becomes your favorite is probably right.
However, this is on par with the others for me--I LOL'ed quite a few times. The story about The Rooster outing him to the trailer trash couple is a highlight.

*I'm not sure why I spoiled that--just trying to be polite I guess, since it just came out.

[kkslider]

Jun 30, 2008 18:17:16 GMT -4 clementine74 said:

However, this is on par with the others for me--

I agree completely. I think it's actually better in a way. He's getting really good at incorporating the falling-down funny with more serious themes. He's done that in the past (the story about his sister and the parrot that ends with him repeating "Forgive me," in particular), but he's finding that kind of depth more consistently. I was genuinely touched in several spots, and I'm glad to see him maturing as a writer and not just falling back on what he already knows he can do.

The thing that has me still laughing out loud when I remember it, though, is the Japanese phrases Amy was trying to get him to learn - "I can't believe how fat I've gotten" and especially "I'll give you a blow job for a cigarette."

Hey, HarpofLorien, I think my copy was signed at the same event in Denver you went to - a friend sent it as a birthday present (best of the year, hands down).