Author:David Sedaris
Those familiar with David Sedaris’ live readings will know that the highlight of the night is often his diary entries, which come sandwiched between the longer essays and the audience Q+A. This is the second collection of those diaries, and likely to be the last for a while as it takes him up to 2020.
Much as I enjoyed the first collection, Theft by Finding, I am less interested in his journey to writing success (the story his boyfriend Hugh calls ‘David Copperfield Sedaris’) than his finished style and that is what this book contains in great volume. Really, I would have said the short entries make this the perfect toilet book if it wasn’t such a tome at 566pp.
Although there are some running themes, around his family and other common presences in his life, the best and funniest entries and the unconnected mishaps and observations. His typical tone is that of the baffled outsider, wondering why such and such a thing exists, or why a stranger would behave in a certain way. If you are a tuned to his way of seeing things then so much the better, if not you might spend a long time wondering why he thinks those things worthy of comment, let alone writing down and then publishing.
Length of Read:Long
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Sedaris’ previous books and Radio 4 series of course, but anyone else who finds themselves marvelling over the big and little details which others find unremarkable.
One thing you’ve learned
Not to capture a shrew and try to feed it hamster food.
I’ve been waiting for the second volume, didn’t know it had arrived! Time to visit the bookshop (well; I could say that every day regardless…)
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. It’s the book that I had hoped the first one would be, though people more interested in a coming of age narrative might disagree.