Product Description "David Sedaris's ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art," (The Christian Science Monitor) is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this remarkable new book. Trying to make coffee when the water is shut off, David considers using the water in a vase of flowers and his chain of associations takes him from the French countryside to a hilariously uncomfortable memory of buying drugs in a mobile home in rural North Carolina. In essay after essay, Sedaris proceeds from bizarre conundrums of daily life-having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger on a plane or armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds-to the most deeply resonant human truths. Culminating in a brilliant account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris's sixth essay collection is a new masterpiece of comic writing from "a writer worth treasuring" (Seattle Times).
Praise for When You Are Engulfed in Flames:
"Older, wiser, smarter and meaner, Sedaris...defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." --Kirkus Reviews
This latest collection proves that not only does Sedaris still have it, but he's also getting better....Sedaris's best stuff will still--after all this time--move, surprise, and entertain." --Booklist
Table of Contents:
It's Catching Keeping Up The Understudy This Old House Buddy, Can You Spare a Tie? Road Trips What I Learned That's Amore The Monster Mash In the Waiting Room Solutions to Saturday's Puzzle Adult Figures Charging Toward a Concrete Toadstool Memento Mori All the Beauty You Will Ever Need Town and Country Aerial The Man in the Hut Of Mice and Men April in Paris Crybaby Old Faithful The Smoking Section
David Sedaris is HILARIOUSAugust 29, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For my money, he's the best bittersweet comic author out there and nothing beats him reading his own work.
love this bookAugust 29, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read this entire book on a 12 plus hour flight to Beijing, China. Those seated around me was laughing because I was getting so much enjoyment from my book. This is possibly his best book yet.
I love David Sedaris...August 28, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As with all of his books, this book is filled with hilarious stories. Totally amusing. I love his work.
When You Are Engulfed in FlamesAugust 26, 2008 This book is just all right. It seems to be a repeat of everything else he has written.... decoratively funny, but not thought provoking.
HilariousAugust 26, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
While I have read many amusing books in the past, my response is usually an inward smile and a mental note to myself of how clever and succinct the description chosen by the author. This book however causes one to laugh out loud. A true gem!
