Sunday, June 15, 2008

David Sedaris' "When You are Engulfed in Flames"


This is another in the series of autobiographical novels by David Sedaris. He appeals to a reader who loves his quirky humour, his slightly oddball lifestyle, and the semi-sweet stories of his family. His writing style is what I would call "niblets", i.e. small, sweet, and golden little tales of his adventures in life. After reading half a dozen of his books I almost feel like "family" myself.

I love the way he downplays his own "abilities". I love stories about his family. I even enjoy the bits about his "partner" Hugh. He draws a sketchy picture, but that is part of his charm. He highlights the oddity and humour in life. I always root for the underdog, so I find it easy to root for Sedaris in his epic encounter with Life.

Oh, and I love some of his titles. My favourite is "Dress Your Children in Corduroy and Denim". The title of this one is from some oddball English he saw in one of his travels.

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