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David Sedaris

G

Gmac04

New Member
I love this guy. I just read Naked. witty, refreshing, awesome. what esle should i read. what about his new one "Children playing before a statue of hercules"?
 
If you search this site for Sedaris, you'll find some posted opinions of various books, mostly positive.
 
Gmac04 said:
I love this guy. I just read Naked. witty, refreshing, awesome. what esle should i read. what about his new one "Children playing before a statue of hercules"?
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I believe that is a collection of short stories edited by David Sedaris. If you are looking for something similar to Naked, try Me Talk Pretty One Day.
 
sirmyk said:
And don't forget his newest collection, Dress Your Parents in Corduroy...
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haw haw.

I posted two links to free Sedaris piece from The New Yorker time past. Sure they're not free now. It's a one-week deal. He's okay, in a predicable I'm-so-gay-and-insecure way. That's why I like his stuff about early family. As a grown-up he's pretty normal.

smirky, would you please ask your parents to put on some clothes?
 
novella said:
smirky, would you please ask your parents to put on some clothes?
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After digging them up from their graves, I am sure they will be less than willing to put on a fresh pair of clothes for you.

Just kidding. They're not really dead, I only think of them that way (but that's a subject for a different thread).
 
I love David Sedaris, he is absolutely hilarious! I think if I had to pick just ONE author that makes me laugh the most it would be him.
I don't really agree that his stories about his adult life are any less funny than the stories about his childhood. There are just the funny ones and then the amazingly funny ones. I have several books on CD with him reading (his sister helps some too) and they are great.
The first book of his I read I had no idea what I was really in for...I was wary as I read about his OCD as a child and got more and more excited with each story I read. By Dinah the Christmas Whore I was hooked!
I haven't read all of his books but my favorites in order are:
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Naked
Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim
Holidays on Ice

From Me Talk Pretty One Day the best are: See You Again Yesterday, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Jesus Shaves, You Can't Kill the Rooster, and Go Carolina
From Naked the best are: Naked, The Women's Open, the Incomplete Quad, and Dinah the Christmas Whore
From Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim the best are: Six to Eight Black Men and Rooster at the Hitchin' Post
From Holidays on Ice the best is: Dinah the Christmas Whore
 
I had never read/ listened to any of Sedaris's books until the last month or so, when my library had 3 audio books of his, Dress Your Family in Corduroy, When You're Engulfed in Flames and Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls. I enjoyed them immensely and can't believe it took me so long to get around to Sedaris, I'll definitely look for more by him :)

I liked, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls, the best and agree that his adult stories are just as good as the ones of his childhood, I specially enjoy his stories of living in Paris.
 
Sedaris is very funny, but I think he's getting a little sedated in France. Still hilarious, though. I have all his stuff.
 
The stories about his childhood just kill me! I loved Me Talk Pretty, Corduroy and Denim and When You Are Engulfed In Flames. Wasn't crazy about Holidays on Ice, except for the story about working as a Santa's helper :rofl
 
Barrel Fever is perfect. Anyone who is curious about the humor of David Sedaris just needs to read "The Santa Land Diaries". If you're totally appalled he's not for you. If you're peeing yourself with laughter, get the other books.
 
After reading this thread I got a few of his books and read 2 - can't say I was entirely overwhelmed nor entirely underwhelmed. It is a particular kind of humour I suppose, but there is a thread of cynicism, hatred and cruelty that runs through it that just doesn't sit well with me. On one level you are laughing but on another it's just kind of sad.

For example when describing his speech therapist in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" he says -

The woman spoke with a heavy western North Carolina accent, which
I used to discredit her authority. Here was a person for whom the word
pen had two syllables. Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and
hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready —
​
It's amusingly written but tinged with cruelty.
 
Meadow337 said:
After reading this thread I got a few of his books and read 2 - can't say I was entirely overwhelmed nor entirely underwhelmed. It is a particular kind of humour I suppose, but there is a thread of cynicism, hatred and cruelty that runs through it that just doesn't sit well with me. On one level you are laughing but on another it's just kind of sad.

For example when describing his speech therapist in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" he says -

The woman spoke with a heavy western North Carolina accent, which
I used to discredit her authority. Here was a person for whom the word
pen had two syllables. Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and
hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready —
​
It's amusingly written but tinged with cruelty.
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I agree completely. I disliked him a long time ago and am glad to see the sentiment echoing anew.
 
Interesting. it's been awhile since I read Sedaris, but I remember reading Naked on an plane trip and the passenger next to me kept casting worried glances my way because I was quietly laughing every couple of pages (which he could have easily mistake my quaking as crying, I suppose).

I remember the book as being extremely funny, and I didn't really detect (at the time) the sentiments expressed here. I shall give it a closer inspection next time I pick him up. I've not yet dived into my copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day...
 
Hi, DS, twice now I have tried to reply, but lost my rather lengthy post each time. I'll give it a break and maybe return to the task later. Very irritating. :(
 
direstraits said:
Interesting. it's been awhile since I read Sedaris, but I remember reading Naked on an plane trip and the passenger next to me kept casting worried glances my way because I was quietly laughing every couple of pages (which he could have easily mistake my quaking as crying, I suppose).

I remember the book as being extremely funny, and I didn't really detect (at the time) the sentiments expressed here. I shall give it a closer inspection next time I pick him up. I've not yet dived into my copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day...
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Hi DS, (third try :) )
With the wonders of modern technology I was able to travel back in time to 2005 and refresh my memory from a thread in a different forum where the discussion was of "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim." Absolutely spooky to hear one's self talking to one's self! :eek:

I see that I too thought Sedaris was laugh-out-loud funny and said so then.

One of the stories being discussed was a childhood reminiscence of a group of siblings playing in the snow when they were children. The older members of he group were trying to induce the youngest to go out into the middle of the road and lie down and make angel wings. ("Go do it, Gretchen." "No, get Tommy to do it.") I still think the canniness of the youngest is funny.

However, as the narrative developed, the instigators deliberately chose a hollow in the roadway for this suicidal larking about, so that oncoming drivers would not notice the situation until nearly too late and then have to "swerve out of control" (Sedaris' words) to avoid it. Great fun thought Sedaris, apparently. Me, not so much, and I said so. (And hence my remark above.)

There followed a huge brawl, lasting about 170 posts, complete with angry responses, insults and personal accusations, until everyone finally parted sullenly and the discussion went dead silent.

So, DS, Sedaris can be funny. No doubt. But I have never been much interested in anything of his again.
 
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Peder, thanks for persevering. :) I have no recollection of such a prank in his book, the only one i read, and if I did come across such a passage, I wouldn't be laughing either. I don't like prankish humour, more so when children's safety is concerned. A little sensitive after having my own kid.
 
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