Books |
David Sedaris
By
Published: Jan 01, 2008
Category:
Memoir
Video
The Stadium Pal
Are you ever so thankful no one can read your mind? Not so fast. David Sedaris knows our secret thoughts and gives them away — whether we want him to or not. And even if you may be slightly embarrassed to admit to thinking and doing the exact same things he reveals about himself, you laugh, because you don’t think or do them anywhere near as comically.
For example, a visit to the doctor after you’ve had kidney stones is bad enough — but a visit to the doctor in France? When you are in no way fluent in French? When you are terrified to speak what little you do know of the language?
But that’s just for starters. It gets worse when you pick door number three and end up sitting in the waiting room in nothing more than your underwear: “briefs, not boxers, a little on the gray side, the elastic slack from too many washings”. Surely folks see weirder than this on almost a daily basis, Sedaris reasons to himself. This will, in no way, stand out in their minds and they will forget all about it the minute they leave. They will see 10 things much crazier than this in this week alone, most definitely. They may forget. We never will.
One of the best things about reading a book by Sedaris is finding out where the title comes from. There is always a reference to an incident, commercial or publication from whence the creative or “willfully obtuse” (a phrase his publisher used to describe the title of his previous book) name comes from. This time was no different, and I rolled on the floor laughing when I finally discovered the answer to When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
When I saw the cover of the book, I thought for sure Sedaris had gone off the deep end and attempted some sort of science fiction thriller. But after reading the first page, the first sentence even, I knew my “old friend” was back to further confirm that all my thoughts, fears and weird habits are just as weird as anyone else’s.
David Sedaris has the guts to write what we all want to say — and he’s able to do it in a way that is much more eloquent and infinitely funnier than what the average bear could put into words. Things that may seem ordinary, even mundane and at times downright disgusting, become side-splittingly funny.
Like a “men’s accessory” called the Stadium Pal — designed to prevent long waits in the restroom line and mad dashes for the airport bathroom.
Like an entire chapter devoted to a boil on Sedaris’, ahem, behind, and the night that his partner Hugh – affectionately dubbed Sir Lance A Lot – lanced it. I mean, really, that’s just gross, right? No. It’s funny. Hysterical, in fact, and, oddly enough, even touching. Does someone love you enough to lance your boil and still sleep with you? We should all be so lucky.
In the last chapter titled “The Smoking Section” Sedaris describes, in more of a diary type format, his three-month journey to Tokyo “to quit smoking”. One of the entries tells about a trip to a Kabuki play, As the English radio transmitters explained, the end of the “simple and complicated” play was meant to be dramatic. Sedaris describes it this way:
Noritsune vows to one day meet Yoshitsune on the field of battle, he climbs a two-step staircase, turns to the audience and crosses his eyes. What with his fist clenching and a hairstyle that might be best described as a Beefeater shag, you had to laugh, but at the same time you couldn’t help being moved. And that, I think, is pretty much the essence of a good show.
That, Mr. Sedaris, is pretty much the essence of a good book.
Moved and amused — that’s my reaction to this book. If you were a fan of Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day, you will not be disappointed. Okay, so Sedaris has gotten a bit more sentimental as he’s grown older. We all do.
And be sure and follow the directions when you are engulfed in flames. You’ll be glad you did.
— Guest Butler Julia Hendrickson, a pet lover and advocate, isn’t from NYC (but wishes she was) and isn’t a real blonde (but wishes she was) and lives in the only house in her neighborhood with a new flat screen and no cable. So she reads.
To buy “When You Are Engulfed In Flames” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy the Audio CD of “When You Are Engulfed In Flames” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy “Naked” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy the Audio CD of “Naked” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy “Me Talk Pretty One Day” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy the Audio CD of “Me Talk Pretty One Day” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy the Audio CD of “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” from Amazon.com, click here.
