Posts
I love David Sedaris. I'm not a HUGE fan... I generally only read his books when one lands in my lap (in other words, I don't ever remember to seek them out) but whenever I read one of his essays I am reminded how totally brilliant he is.
I made the mistake of reading this one in bed at night, before going to sleep. When Terri, feeling unwell, was trying to go to sleep. It is incredibly difficult to keep from bursting out with unexpected, surprised laughter while reading David Sedaris, so eventually I had to put this book away and start another, less-funny book so that Terri could get some sleep.
Anyway. I would quote some of my favorite parts, but that would spoil it for you and also, the book is in the bedroom and I'm in the living room. I spent yesterday in the boiling hot sun of San Bernardino, California, setting up an event. I started getting heat exhaustion; it was 110 degrees and I was hauling around heavy plants (and swearing a lot). Today, I am truly exhausted (the regular kind) so getting up to get the book seems like an enormous task.
It's kind of pointless to try to write about how funny and clever and shocking and quirky a David Sedaris book is because no matter what you say, it won't even come close to how funny and clver and shocking and quirky his books are. But, if you haven't read one of his books, do it. Especially if you are feeling grumpy or out of sorts. Not because he's cheerful; not at all. He is the opposite of cheerful; he is morose and bitter and blaming and that's why the funny parts are so funny, they just hit you out of nowhere.
But read it by yourself. Your friends and loved ones will thank you for it.
5 comments:
My friend Silke and I have both been banned from reading David Sedaris in bed by our husbands. I read "Me Talk Pretty One Day" on a plane ride and I thought my seatmate was going to kill me - I couldn't stop laughing.
-Lara
Sort of like me reading Dave Barry in your room at the Annala's?
D'Arc- I was *totally* thinking about that. "What is so funny?!?"
Lara: I know, Terri was really good about it but I know how it feels to have someone laughing at something you are NOT reading (see above re: D'Arcy!!)
Is this the one where he learns French out of medical textbooks or somesuch? Because that story in particular killed me.
I am not sure, if so, I missed that part. However, there was a part about a gigantic dog eating a pile of poo, which is disgusting but almost knocked me out of bed.
Post a Comment