When You Are Engulfed in Flames
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Product Description
Review
A virtual Klondike of darkly glittering anecdotes. (Adam Mars-Jones, Observer )
'Sedari s' anecdotes play off his sublime talent for turning the absurdly neurotic into the hilariously funny. (GQ )
Howlingly funny, jaw-snappingly honest and endlessly perceptive... Sedari s' wellspring of quirky yet strangely universal comic experiences show no sign of drying up. (Tom Cox, Daily Mail )
The most popular American humorist since Woody Allen... As a prose stylist he is often compared to that other great New Yorker writer James Thurber - dry, mordant, pitch perfect. As a human being, the most obvious comparison is with the comedian Larry Davi (Ngel Farndale, Sunday Telegraph )
'Sedari s' anecdotes play off his sublime talent for turning the absurdly neurotic into the hilariously funny. (GQ )
Howlingly funny, jaw-snappingly honest and endlessly perceptive... Sedari s' wellspring of quirky yet strangely universal comic experiences show no sign of drying up. (Tom Cox, Daily Mail )
The most popular American humorist since Woody Allen... As a prose stylist he is often compared to that other great New Yorker writer James Thurber - dry, mordant, pitch perfect. As a human being, the most obvious comparison is with the comedian Larry Davi (Ngel Farndale, Sunday Telegraph )
Book Description
* A brilliant new collection of stories from the number 1 bestselling writer named by TIME magazine as America's Favorite Humorist
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Is there anyone better to read when you want to relax and laugh a bit, than David Sedaris? I still think "Santaland Diaries" is must-read material for this time of year and "Me Talk Pretty One Day" is one of the funniest books I've ever read, full stop. So it's a given that when he publishes a new book I have to buy it immediately. I know, "When You are Engulfed in Flames" came out in 2008, this is 2011, but I did try and read it 3 years ago but I gave up frustrated. The solution to completing it this time? - audiobooks.
Sedaris reading his stories is a different beast to reading them yourself. I love podcasts and felt that him reading his stories was like listening to a podcast, telling everyone funny stories that had happened to him, and so I got through this book in a day after a few enjoyable hours spent listening to him while driving.
His bad baby sitter, Mrs Peacock, was a funny and strange character who demanded back scratches and that David and his sisters clean her house while their parents were on holiday; his Italian neighbour in New York, Helen, who was this extremely bullying and unlikable person and who beat up a disabled kid for accidentally pocketing a biro of hers; and the Normandy neighbour who turned out to be child molester.
While his characterisations of real people are always brilliant, what I liked better were the anecdotes centred around himself - arguing with cab drivers for whom English was a second language; giving up smoking in Japan; or sitting on a plane in first class next to a Polish man who couldn't stop crying as he'd just buried his mother. The foreign element tips it over for me as it reminds me of the brilliance of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" which also focused on language and communication issues. And most touching of all were his love letters to his boyfriend Hugh, for who is clear he is deeply in love with.
"When You Are Engulfed in Flames" is not his best book but definitely an entertaining audiobook, particularly when Sedaris attempts the voices of some of the characters. The anecdotes are far from stale but also not as entertaining as other volumes and this is why it took me a few years to get around to finishing it. Having done so though, I'm glad I did, and can recommend this as an antidote to hours of tedious driving.
Sedaris reading his stories is a different beast to reading them yourself. I love podcasts and felt that him reading his stories was like listening to a podcast, telling everyone funny stories that had happened to him, and so I got through this book in a day after a few enjoyable hours spent listening to him while driving.
His bad baby sitter, Mrs Peacock, was a funny and strange character who demanded back scratches and that David and his sisters clean her house while their parents were on holiday; his Italian neighbour in New York, Helen, who was this extremely bullying and unlikable person and who beat up a disabled kid for accidentally pocketing a biro of hers; and the Normandy neighbour who turned out to be child molester.
While his characterisations of real people are always brilliant, what I liked better were the anecdotes centred around himself - arguing with cab drivers for whom English was a second language; giving up smoking in Japan; or sitting on a plane in first class next to a Polish man who couldn't stop crying as he'd just buried his mother. The foreign element tips it over for me as it reminds me of the brilliance of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" which also focused on language and communication issues. And most touching of all were his love letters to his boyfriend Hugh, for who is clear he is deeply in love with.
"When You Are Engulfed in Flames" is not his best book but definitely an entertaining audiobook, particularly when Sedaris attempts the voices of some of the characters. The anecdotes are far from stale but also not as entertaining as other volumes and this is why it took me a few years to get around to finishing it. Having done so though, I'm glad I did, and can recommend this as an antidote to hours of tedious driving.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'My friend Patsy was telling a story. 'So I'm at the movie theatre,' she said,'and I've got my coat all neatly laid out against the back of my seat when this guy comes along-' And here I stopped her, because I've always wondered about this coat business.' Typical Sedaris - realistic dilaogue and gossipy love of the apparently unimportant detail.
These stories are funny and they are self-revealing and honest. I haven't scored them higher because they are so similar. There are some great characters - the terrible babysitter, Mrs Peacock who makes them scratch her back and pick up dog turds on the lawn - or their NY neighbour Helen swearing and cooking loathsome food offerings.
Very amusing and probably best read when picked up now and then, rather than all together as I did.
These stories are funny and they are self-revealing and honest. I haven't scored them higher because they are so similar. There are some great characters - the terrible babysitter, Mrs Peacock who makes them scratch her back and pick up dog turds on the lawn - or their NY neighbour Helen swearing and cooking loathsome food offerings.
Very amusing and probably best read when picked up now and then, rather than all together as I did.
Format:Paperback
One of my favourite David Sedaris books! This author is brilliant, a craftsman of humour.
He tells his stories from his personal love life, his school life, his family life with such vividness that you really feel very close to him after reading his books. It doesn't even matter how much of the books is fiction and how much is real fact, because he tells all stories with a believable tone. His self-deprecating style is hilarious and it really cheers me up no matter how bad a day I've had, because he shows you through his short stories how many preposterous situations he has been through too, and how nobody is alone in this crazy, absurd world.
His take on life is similar to that of Kurt Vonnegut, and that is a lot! Because Kurt Vonnegut is a genius not only because he got what life was all about, but because he even managed to make you smile when telling you about it. The same goes for Sedaris: a quirky, lovable, open character tells his personal stories and gets you to laugh out loud every time. And I don't laugh out loud that easily!
He tells his stories from his personal love life, his school life, his family life with such vividness that you really feel very close to him after reading his books. It doesn't even matter how much of the books is fiction and how much is real fact, because he tells all stories with a believable tone. His self-deprecating style is hilarious and it really cheers me up no matter how bad a day I've had, because he shows you through his short stories how many preposterous situations he has been through too, and how nobody is alone in this crazy, absurd world.
His take on life is similar to that of Kurt Vonnegut, and that is a lot! Because Kurt Vonnegut is a genius not only because he got what life was all about, but because he even managed to make you smile when telling you about it. The same goes for Sedaris: a quirky, lovable, open character tells his personal stories and gets you to laugh out loud every time. And I don't laugh out loud that easily!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
When does it start getting funny?
There are a few flashes of humour but they are completely overwhelmed by the maudlin and self-indulgent tales. Read more
Published 13 months ago by plot hound
not as funny as when author reads out loud
I laughed out loud when i heard this author reading his works but it isnt nearly as funny in written form, recommend cd if possible
Published 21 months ago by Ms. R. Bailey
The obsessions creep up on you!
I hadn't heard of David Sedaris until I came across this book on a reading list for a comedy writing course I'm planning to do this autumn. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Lucia Tilling
A Continuation On What Came Before
I read David Sedaris' new book around a month ago and enjoyed it in much the same way that I enjoyed what came before. Read more
Published on 14 April 2010 by S. K.
Sdaris's world
A an often mordant, amusing and North American view of life's trials, tribulatons and bitter sweet encounters. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2009 by Dz
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