If these cold winters months make you want to dig into a good read- then please please run to your nearest library or bookstore (or Kindle) and enjoy the terribly funny, dry and human essays of David Sedaris. I read half his book "When You Are Engulfed by Flames" last night and could not stop giggling. It is everything I love about really good essayists like EB White. Like White, Sedaris tells stories, so let the word "essay" go out your window. "Essay" reminds one too much of English class circa 1990. Good storytellers are hard to find. It is way too easy for us to watch stories (ala movies) than to find really good stories in print.
I had heard people talking about Sedaris for years now, and finally added him to my library. He's my new friend. His stories are so easy to read, because they offer succinct tight little nuggets of his childhood and young adult memories...most of which any of us could relate to in some manner. Most of his tales are those that you think "yes yes I know that living room he's describing" (his parents old home in the 70's), the weird babysitters that left pale mental marks on his own and sibling's memories forever, the somewhat bittersweet tales of getting into adulthood, and what that means- to him, quitting smoking takes about 3 chapters, but it's very very funny and relatable to anyone- smoker or not.
Sedaris doesn't over use words. I like that his essays are clear with no extra flowery gadgetry to show off his now famous skills. His essays are lean, mean and full of images we all know. He is someone I would like to meet. And yes, Amy Sedaris is his sister.
So there. Have a nice day. Hug a tree and your mother too if possible today.
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