Like many others, I read fiction most of the time rather than biographical type literature. David Sedaris is a huge exception to that rule, though. Sedaris writes about his family and experiences growing up in a most entertaining yet grounded narrative. I think that his writing has the unique ability to makes me genuinely laugh out loud because I share a similar sense of self-deprecating and sarcastic humor. Themes throughout Sedaris' stories often include his homosexuality, odd jobs, and profiles on his family members, such as his parents and sister Amy. One of the vignettes in this book describes his experience at Princeton with an intended major of patricide, which becomes a double major of patricide and matricide because his mother feels left out. The whole point is that his parents are exceedingly proud of having an Ivy League son: "'Killed by a Princeton graduate! [...] And my own son, no less'" says his father. I'm actually not sure if his books are technically non-fiction, because he certainly stretches the truth (he didn't actually attend Princeton), but even the exaggerated or made-up scenes allows the reader to share and enjoy his comic worldview.
I liked this book all the way up until the last installment, "The Smoking Section." I didn't really understand the series of short snippets that chronicled Sedaris' quitting smoking, some on which seemed only weakly related to one another because of a connection to the habit of smoking. But I appreciate that it takes a certain kind of person to look back on what is an unhealthy and consuming addiction with seemingly such lighthearted humor. Overall, I relished When You Are Engulfed in Flames and felt sad when I flipped the last page and had no more laugh-out-loud reading to look forward to in the near future.
I've also listened to his podcasts on This American Life, and now as I read I can literally hear his voice making the stories come to life.
I first encountered his books in middle or high school, quickly consumed all of them that I could find, and then impatiently waited for him to publish more. I'm almost jealous of those of you that haven't yet experienced his work, because you have so many goodies yet to devour. Seriously, go to the library now and stock up.
Do you have any good humor writer suggestions?
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