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From Publishers Weekly
In his latest collection, Sedaris has found his heart. This is not to suggest that the author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and other bestselling books has lost his edge. The 27 essays here (many previously published in Esquire, G.Q. or the New Yorker, or broadcast on PRI's This American Life) include his best and funniest writing yet. Here is Sedaris's family in all its odd glory. Here is his father dragging his mortified son over to the home of one of the most popular boys in school, a boy possessed of "an uncanny ability to please people," demanding that the boy's parents pay for the root canal that Sedaris underwent after the boy hit him in the mouth with a rock. Here is his oldest sister, Lisa, imploring him to keep her beloved Amazon parrot out of a proposed movie based on his writing. ("'Will I have to be fat in the movie?' she asked.") Here is his mother, his muse, locking the kids out of the house after one snow day too many, playing the wry, brilliant commentator on his life until her untimely death from cancer. His mother emerges as one of the most poignant and original female characters in contemporary literature. She balances bitter and sweet, tart and rich—and so does Sedaris, because this is what life is like. "You should look at yourself," his mother says in one piece, as young Sedaris crams Halloween candy into his mouth rather than share it. He does what she says and then some, and what emerges is the deepest kind of humor, the human comedy.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School - This lighthearted follow-up to Me Talk Pretty One Day(Little, Brown, 2000) contains a selection of personal essays. Some of the pieces appeared previously in magazines or on the NPR radio program This American Life. The first half of the collection focuses on Sedaris's childhood, including his relationship with his supportive mother and "man's man" of a father. Family vacations, snow days from school, and parental conflicts are all rendered in a comic style. Several of the pieces highlight the author's growing up with the knowledge that he is gay. He writes about the mixture of feelings he experienced in a real but funny manner. The second half moves Sedaris into adulthood. Although still dealing chiefly with his family, the focus shifts to his brother and sisters. From Tiffany, who collects and sells junk right from her house, to macho, floor-sanding Paul, Sedaris sets up a family dynamic that's sometimes odd, sometimes sad, but always funny. A handful of pieces include or refer to his life partner, Hugh. Whether it's apartment searching in "Possession" or the clash of personalities in "A Can of Worms," it's refreshing to see a writer portray a gay relationship that's committed and monogamous. Although not as unified as his other books, this collection serves as a touching reminder of how odd, funny, and unique our lives really are. - Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sedaris in top form,
This review is from: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (Paperback)
One of the two funniest books I've ever read --- (the other was Jackson McCrae's "Katzenjammer"), DRESS YOUR FAMILY is a rollicking rollercoaster of a ride from cover to cover. The Sedaris family has center stage here. With mom, dad, four sisters, and a very masculine brother, each one is quirkier than the next. It's hard to tell how much is Sedaris' very keen powers of observation, and how much is exaggeration. I found myself cracking up at stories like "Six to Eight Black Men", "Baby Einstein" and "Monie Changes Everything." I often laughed so hard I received very curious stares from those around me. David Sedaris is not only hilarious and entertaining, but also a very talented writer who knows how to weave a story unlike any others. I highly, highly, as highly as anyone can, recommend this book for someone, anyone who needs a good laugh.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure Enjoyment,
This review is from: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (Paperback)
"Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" is absolutely brilliant. It is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend: "Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules", "The Children's Corner", "Simon Lazarus", "Nightmares Echo" and "Running With Scissors".
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bottom Line: Worth Buying!,
By Karla K (Kingwood, TX) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (Hardcover)
Is this David Sedaris' BEST book? Maybe not. ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY must take that honor. However, after a rocky start I did enjoy this collection of witty essays from America's greatest (expatriate) humorist. In particular, "The Change in Me" struck that classic chord: it's an essay that can be read again and again, brilliant in only the way art can be (which is to say, magical). Two other books I'd like to recommend with DRESS YOUR FAMILY, is RUNNING WITH SCISSORS by Burroughs and THE LOSERS CLUB (Complete Restored Edition) by Richard Perez.
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