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paroof's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a long time since a book made me laugh out loud as much as this one did. Not only that, I ended up getting a speeding ticket because I was laughing so hard while I was listening I didn't notice the nice police car clearly sitting and running radar on my way to work. Oh well.
David Sedaris makes you laugh at the absurdity of being human - and we all need that sometimes.
David Sedaris makes you laugh at the absurdity of being human - and we all need that sometimes.
selenajournal's review against another edition
1.0
I'm one of the few people in this world who does not think that David Sedaris is funny or deserves the critical acclaim that he has received for his various endeavors.
His stories are not particularly funny or clever. I feel like anyone could be a David Sedaris. Sit some asshole down and tell him to write something remotely funny in a memoir kind of way, and there you have it: David Sedaris. The New Yorker will publish it at first in short stories and from there someone will ask you to compile it into a somewhat coherent novel and walk around like you did something special. He didn't. He doesn't. This book is no better than his previous "novels" but it sure is worse. Why?
You can't truly be a good writer without smoking (if you didn't know, nicotine equals good writing). And in fact, you shouldn't quit smoking and have a skeleton smoking a cigarette on the cover of your new book. Just a thought.
His stories are not particularly funny or clever. I feel like anyone could be a David Sedaris. Sit some asshole down and tell him to write something remotely funny in a memoir kind of way, and there you have it: David Sedaris. The New Yorker will publish it at first in short stories and from there someone will ask you to compile it into a somewhat coherent novel and walk around like you did something special. He didn't. He doesn't. This book is no better than his previous "novels" but it sure is worse. Why?
You can't truly be a good writer without smoking (if you didn't know, nicotine equals good writing). And in fact, you shouldn't quit smoking and have a skeleton smoking a cigarette on the cover of your new book. Just a thought.
x0pherl's review against another edition
3.0
I generally like to keep a book of short stories going for times when a quick story makes more sense than a whole book, and I've had this one going off and on for the whole year, mostly not enjoying it as much as I have some of his other stuff.
But last night I picked this up and I don't know if the final stories were funnier or my mood was better, but I laughed quite a bit and finished off the book this morning.
The last story about quitting smoking hides a nice little story about living in Japan for 3 months- my favorite story in the collection.
But last night I picked this up and I don't know if the final stories were funnier or my mood was better, but I laughed quite a bit and finished off the book this morning.
The last story about quitting smoking hides a nice little story about living in Japan for 3 months- my favorite story in the collection.
khunter76's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! What can I say about this book. It made me laugh, it made me angry, it made me rethink a few things. David Sedaris has definitely an interesting life and mind to say the least. Can't wait to discuss it at Book Club!
sativadomhybrid's review against another edition
3.0
When pain suffuses your heart, the only cure is to smile.
arbitrariecanarie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0