Themes and Variations

In a Nutshell: An essay by an acclaimed humour writer, detailing some memorable experiences, “themes and variations” while interacting with readers during book tours. A quick, fun read.

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As a reader, you might have attended book-signing events, and while in queue, you might have wondered what to say to the author. Now here’s an essay that shows you the same event from an author’s point of view.

When David Sedaris was a boy, he had a bad experience at a book signing event, where the visiting author didn’t acknowledge him or even glance at him while signing the book. He was so affected by this that many years later, when it was his turn to be on the other side of the signing table, he decided that he show more would make every reader feel special.

What resulted from this decision was some intriguing reader interactions, amusing anecdotes, and unbelievable revelations, ranging from hilarious to outright bizarre. This little 19-page essay explores some of David’s more memorable experiences while on his book tours.

The word ‘essay’ is, of course, very loosely applicable to this write-up. ‘Essay’ somehow conjures up the image of something tedious. But this is a light-hearted read, with David’s self-deprecating humour balanced by his friendly approachability. It offers an unseen glimpse at modern authorial life while also showing how crazy some people are.

Many anecdotes in this piece are funny, some are heartwarming, and some left me befuddled at the lack of common sense in human beings. The jokes are quite good, though some seem too exaggerated.

Even if contemporary authors are reclusive introverts who prefer to sit at their writing stations than interacting with their readers, they cannot escape public events in today’s world. Be it social media or live interactions or interviews, authors are reliant on such exchanges to establish a connect with their readers. If all authors took a page out of David Sedaris’ books [Not literally!] and ensured that the readers at their events get their complete attention when their turn comes, trust me, they will have earned a fan for life.

A recommended write-up for all readers who dream of author interactions and for all authors who dread forced socialization.

3.75 stars.

This essay is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.

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My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter show less

Funny as Ever
Review of the Brilliance Audio audiobook (April 28, 2020) released simultaneously with the Kindle eBook

David Sedaris' new comedic essay Themes and Variations relates the frank and sometimes absurd stories or jokes that he hears from his audience members when they meet him at book signings. Some of these are related to seemingly impossible anatomical insertions (I'm trying to be as discrete as I can here) and may be shocking, but as told by Sedaris will still come off hilariously. A fan's story about a $50 charity give away ensnares Sedaris himself into a situation of trying to give away $50 by 3:16 in the afternoon at the library. Difficulties ensue.

This is only a 30 minute essay and will have to hold us over until Sedaris' show more next full book which is expected to be A Carnival of Snackeries: Diaries: Volume Two, planned for release in July 2021. show less

Not his very best essay, but I think this is definitely in the upper third. I was surprised that ‘objects stuck in rectums,’ had not appeared earlier in Sedaris’s writing. It’s a pretty easy target and he used great restraint in holding off this long.

The electric company had to replace a power pole on the next street, so I spent a morning without power and ended up reading some random stuff I had put on my Kindle and forgotten about. This was one of them. It was light and humorous and definitely helped pass the time, even if it never quite made me laugh. (Also, I experienced just jaw-dropped shock that Sedaris has reached whatever age he was when he wrote this and missed every single "Bra off the second I leave work" joke a woman has made. Does he not read or watch ANYTHING by women?)

I don't know. Sedaris, at one point in his career, was either five star or two star -- either he made me laugh out loud or I wished I'd never read the essay. (Or short story.) These days it feels like show more his worst stuff is better, but his better stuff is worse. This was some of his more recent better stuff. I'm happy I read it, but I'm not sorry I forgot about it for however many years it sat on my Kindle, either. Basically, it was perfect for a morning where I couldn't work or do much of anything else, either. show less

In a Nutshell: An essay by an acclaimed humour writer, detailing some memorable experiences, “themes and variations” while interacting with readers during book tours. A quick, fun read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a reader, you might have attended book-signing events, and while in queue, you might have wondered what to say to the author. Now here’s an essay that shows you the same event from an author’s point of view.

When David Sedaris was a boy, he had a bad experience at a book signing event, where the visiting author didn’t acknowledge him or even glance at him while signing the book. He was so affected by this that many years later, when it was his turn to be on the other side of the signing table, he decided that he show more would make every reader feel special.

What resulted from this decision was some intriguing reader interactions, amusing anecdotes, and unbelievable revelations, ranging from hilarious to outright bizarre. This little 19-page essay explores some of David’s more memorable experiences while on his book tours.

The word ‘essay’ is, of course, very loosely applicable to this write-up. ‘Essay’ somehow conjures up the image of something tedious. But this is a light-hearted read, with David’s self-deprecating humour balanced by his friendly approachability. It offers an unseen glimpse at modern authorial life while also showing how crazy some people are.

Many anecdotes in this piece are funny, some are heartwarming, and some left me befuddled at the lack of common sense in human beings. The jokes are quite good, though some seem too exaggerated.

Even if contemporary authors are reclusive introverts who prefer to sit at their writing stations than interacting with their readers, they cannot escape public events in today’s world. Be it social media or live interactions or interviews, authors are reliant on such exchanges to establish a connect with their readers. If all authors took a page out of David Sedaris’ books [Not literally!] and ensured that the readers at their events get their complete attention when their turn comes, trust me, they will have earned a fan for life.

A recommended write-up for all readers who dream of author interactions and for all authors who dread forced socialization.

3.75 stars.

This essay is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter show less

A fun read about the author noticing patterns about women taking off bras after work (they're that bad? damn), people putting a variety of things up their ass and claiming they "slipped" on it, and being charitable with one's money but also niceness. Was there any deeper meaning? I don't know

This essay is a really quick little read. There are some amusing anecdotes but it doesn't go deeply into what he's discussing, it's more allusion for the reader to interpret.