Bettah than Evuh

I know people may not agree, but I found this book to be the best one yet. I know it isn't as light and fluffy or as sitcom-ish as the previous ones, but I felt there's more gravitas here. I suspected there was a certain amount of filler in Naked, Me Talk...etc. If this one veers off slightly, I think that's because the author just effortlessly veers off also.

What I like most about this book is that it's the most intelligent and least "goofy". "Full House" is the most subversive story I have EVER read! And I MEAN this. And I still busted out laughing. "The Girl Next Door" is chilling, scarier than that movie "The Ring." His essay on his sister Tiffany is alarming. Is he writing this in case something unpleasant happens with her or is it just another family portrait? He's too smart to just let this out there. He also has an uncanny knack for picking out the obscure: parrots. I'd never given much thought before to birds that can repeat words, but he's picked up on it. Classic David.

Is the writing really THAT painstaking? What I think happened is that he has been studying French for so long that he has become finer with his use of words and pays more attention to structure and meaning. You can't write one essay after the next without being able to KNOW how to do this. I suspect this is all rather easy for him.

Everyone seems to be whining about how "sad" it is. I think this is somewhat homophobic. Before he would only politely mention Hugh, like he was some whimsical pet; now there are more chapters and insights into their relationship. Where's the Norman Rockwell painting that depicts two men in a gay adult relationship that he can somehow refer to? But, honestly, there is something THERE though. You somehow suspect he's going to hell for some reason or is it just getting older or is it just that he's a literary celebrity in a foreign culture when his schtick is all about upper-middle WASP/Greek kitsch, basically amusing Americana. I know I shouldn't say this, but there seems to be some kind of void that he's been sucked into. You sense it as the book progresses. He's achieved mainstream acceptance, but is he holding himself back? Is he allowing himself to get too gay or political? Does he have his own internalized homophobia that's become a self fulfilling prophecy for his adult relationship or is the relationship just doomed in and of itself? I still like reading all this more than the other fluff because it's unflinching.

It's fun to review a book that's number 6 on the bestseller list (there, I've had my David Sedaris moment).

A NOT-TO-BE-MISSED VOICE PERFORMANCE

They come in droves, no, in battalions. They're sometimes called Sedaristas or fans of the record breaking best-selling author David Sedaris. He's the fellow who has made a fortune out of relating his life as an outsider, a down-and-outer, and a gay man in a straight world. He's done it with truth, wicked humor, and an uncanny perception allowing him to turn the ordinary into over-the-top.

His latest collection of short stories is now available on CD. They're read, of course, by Sedaris as only he can read them - in the voice familiar to millions on NPR. Whether he's a kid, a mom, or himself, he's in one word terrific.

Many of the selections offered here were taped during live performances. "Who's The Chef?" and "Six to Eight Black Men" were taped during his sell-out appearance at Carnegie Hall, and may also be heard on "David Sedaris Live At Carnegie Hall."

If you haven't heard Sedaris yet, don't waste another minute. He's an original, and he's incredibly entertaining. Laugh out loud funny, you say? That and then some.

- Gail Cooke

Hard Life, Humourous Look At It

<br />Thought the book tells of a difficult childhood, he does so with a bit of humor. Though you feel some of the pain in this autobiography, you don't have the chance to feel all of the pain. The reflections on himself are witty. A brilliant book to read! <br /><br />Also recommended: Other memoirs to read include: Father Joe and Nightmares Echo **Great season for great autobiographies! <br />