Amy Sedaris

I like this book.

Dear Amy –

I like your book. No, I love it. No, wait, I totally *heart* it, in fact. It is way awesome. Much like you. I bet you throw the craziest parties. Will you kindly invite me sometime? I know I’m one of those annoying vegans who will totally muck up your dinner menu, but I promise to make it up to you by bringing plenty of booze.

Anyway, back to your book. Why do I *heart* it so? Well, the pictures totally kick it; it takes a special lady to pull off the show more bottomless-but-for-pantyhose look. Your gourmet masterpieces look yummy despite the animal ingredients. And your diy décor is do-able even for the not-so-crafty among us. Googley eyes on peanuts! Who woulda thunkit? And you’re so retro, too, Amy! Like a Fiona Apple video, or those ‘70s douche ads that all us hairy-legged feminist bloggers like to pass around on the internets. I LIKE YOU is, like, the perfect coffee table book for people who think people who have coffee table books are kinda sorta pretentious jerks. For reals.

But wait! There’s more! Your book also has words! And they make me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. And then chortle and guffaw. And then some more lolz. Your sections on entertaining the elderly, babycakes (sorry, “children”), ladies’ nights and “when you get to play nurse” (not as fun and/or dirt-ay as it sounds) are especially amusing. Even the book flap provides several minutes of enjoyment.

In sum, Amy, you give this misanthrope hope! Plus, you taught me how to locate my vagina with a hand mirror. I will always remember you for that. With much fondness and warmth. Make of that what you will.

hugs & kisses

- k

PS – Did you by chance ever go by the name of Charlene, maybe in the early ‘80s? Because you totally remind me of Dr. Stephen Colbert, DFA’s ex-lover of the same name. No? Whatevs, nm.

PPS – I know it’s you.

PPPS – I am eagerly awaiting my dinner party invite. show less

A most enjoyable and snarky spoof of Crafting Self Help books (and when enjoying the audiobook it feels more like a mock TV show). Not unlike the author’s celebrated TV show At Home with Amy Sedaris, it is as funny but gradually grows darker as it progresses—how dark and in what directions I won’t spoil. Sly in spots, broad in others. Shameless in the best ways.

Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People is a satire on the life and economic times of the "olden days." It’s also a parody of today’s big, beautiful crafting books, with a thousand (intentionally messy) illustrations showing hundreds of (intentionally lame*) homemade crafts for every personality and room of the house, and using every available material. (*I wonder what it says about me that I’m honestly interested in the thumbtack art and balloon art, the penny bookmark, rusty-nail wind show more chimes and tampon ghost!)

Fair warning: This book is by Amy Sedaris, in collaboration with other creatives like Amy Sedaris. It’s a bit darker and cruder than I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, her book about entertaining. If you don’t know Amy, think Sarah Silverman -- both begin sentences in an innocent, extra-polite voice that lures you in and then suddenly veers into a shocking incorrectness that alternately makes you laugh out loud and cringe at the wrong, wrong, wrongness. A chapter here on crafting safety is particularly gruesome ... and hilarious.

(Review based on a copy of the book provided by the publisher.) show less

A how-to for learning how to make a mouse ghetto for any dying rodents you might find, an obscene fruit salad, a rusty nail wind chime and tampon ghosts. Crafts are arranged by topics such as "The Joy of Poverty", "Unreturnable Gift Giving", "Making Love" and "Sausages". Hidden amongst the bad advice are real recipes, and there are plenty of photos of the Sedaris type, which means weird 70's clothing and generally making herself look like a mental patient. I've been a fan since the show more "Strangers With Candy" days. show less