Hysterically funny and poignant ( )

This is another classic is Sedaris’s oeuvre. Focusing mainly on stories that revolve around his family, he portrays their dysfunction as normalcy, or perhaps their normalcy as dysfunction. Either way, it is incredibly funny, especially when you listen to the audio book version read by Sedaris. He proceeds at a perfect pace with just the right emphasis at just the right places. Some of the stories were literally laugh-out-loud funny, particularly Six to Eight Black Men. Yes, some of the context is not for the squeamish or prudish, but overall I would highly recommend this title. ( )

This is, quite possibly, my favorite book of David Sedaris's. It's brilliantly funny, and I can't understand why someone wouldn't like it.

"But, it's dirty."
"But, it's DAVID SEDARIS."

If you haven't already, you simply must read it. ( )

I've never read any Sedaris before, though I've heard much about him, and since this was the only work of his that the library had in stock, it seemed as good a place as any to start. There are a couple of very funny pieces here—the one about the Dutch Santa Claus, his brother the Rooster, and the final one about the mouse, in particular, both had me giggling out loud—but there are more than a few which feel half-finished and lacking in context. There was little to pull the stories together ...more I've never read any Sedaris before, though I've heard much about him, and since this was the only work of his that the library had in stock, it seemed as good a place as any to start. There are a couple of very funny pieces here—the one about the Dutch Santa Claus, his brother the Rooster, and the final one about the mouse, in particular, both had me giggling out loud—but there are more than a few which feel half-finished and lacking in context. There was little to pull the stories together other than Sedaris' sense of the absurd; but that was finely, and wryly, observed, and made this collection worth the read. ( )

This was the perfect book to be reading around my wedding. I could read it and come back a week or so later and read a chapter/story and not feel like I had to start the book over. Sedaris is a great storyteller and provided the perfect non-committal book for the time. While I normally read novel's and theology, this was a great book to have in between reading those. These stories were not as entertaining as other's I've heard of his, which is why it did not get the full four stars, but they were still fun. I look forward to reading some of his other's which seem to come recommended higher. ( )