Title: squirrel seeks chipmunk
Author: david sedaris
Pub: Little, Brown Company; 2010
Pages: 159
Genre: Short Stories, Satire, Humor
Author: david sedaris
Pub: Little, Brown Company; 2010
Pages: 159
Genre: Short Stories, Satire, Humor
I feel as though I am one of the LAST people on the face of this reading planet who had not read David Sedaris. And I also have a huge confession to make:
Up until recently I managed to confuse David Eggers and David Sedaris. (I've still not read any Eggers...)
A good friend of mine raved about Sedaris when I asked if I should check out his stuff. Then, some time in the recent past, he was interviewed on The Daily Show. Since I admire and respect both my friend and Jon Stewart, I figured it was about damn time I sought out a book.
I chose squirrel seeks chipmunk because I wanted to ease myself in. From my understanding, Sedaris writes satirical essays. I don't generally read many essays, but have an affinity toward folk-tales. SsC seemed the route to go.
And you know what, I'm really glad I did. SsC is a collection of fifteen tales where Sedaris uses animals to mirror the best and worst of human characteristics. There were times when I actually LoL'd (surprisingly). Others made me cringe because he managed to capture some pretty faulty quirks of the human species. And then there were others still that I think went over my head and I'll have to reread them again.
Have you read any Sedaris? What should be my next book?
(or) (and)
Have you read any Eggers? Where should I start?
I used to be a reader of David Sedaris. I think his early books are lots of fun. Holiday on Ice has his single best piece, "Santa Land Dairies." I think he's been coasting on his early work for a couple of years now. I'm not a fan of his animal stories.
ReplyDeleteAs for Dave Eggers, I suggest mopping your floor instead. It's just as much of a chore as reading Dave Eggers is, but you'll have a clean floor when you are done.
Nope, not the last person...I've not read anything by Sedaris either...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE David Sedaris!! I bought this one, but I haven't read it yet...really looking forward to it. I think my favorite essay collection of his is Me Talk Pretty One Day. They're all really good though.
ReplyDeleteAs for Eggers, the only thing I've read of his is The Wild Things, his novelization of Where the Wild Things Are and I REALLY loved it!
Too funny that you mixed up David Sedaris and Dave Eggers! They are pretty different!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that this book is quite a departure for Sedaris ... but it sounds great to me. If you want to read more, I'd recommend "Me Talk Pretty One Day."
As for Eggers, I recently read "Zeitoun" and would recommend that ...but his stuff seems very different from book to book. I read his "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" years ago and it was wildly different.
Reading Sedaris for me is hot and cold. But listening to Sedaris! I listened to Engulfed in Flames earlier this year and could easily listen to the whole thing again (some stories I did). Hilarious. Seriously.
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