04.Nov.2009 Witerary Wednesdays: When You Are Engulfed in Flames
The best sort of humour is often the type that provokes a knowing chuckle, an “I’ve been there too!” smile of acknowledgement. It’s relate-able, if a little outrageous.
David Sedaris lives in Paris, makes his living as an author, and has a famous sister. This could be enough to make you think of him as rather detached from common reality. Until you read his stories, and realise he’s just as big a dork as you or me.
In his sixth collection of short stories, When You Are Engulfed In Flames, Sedaris brings us the same self-deprecating wit that has made him a success. He shares his obsession with a pet spider, poor yet pretentious taste in art, and various mishaps with the French language – something I can relate to in a very real way!
Even when the situations are outré, Sedaris manages to find a universal truth, providing a commentary on modern life. The time he sat in a hospital room in nothing but his jocks? Sometimes dignity is the most important thing we can have. Lancing a ridiculously large boil? That’s real love, idiosyncratic as it may seem.
Whip-crack smart and truly hilarious – and not in a slap-stick or toilet humour way – Sedaris offers up snippets of his life in a self-effacing, honest way, and the result can be truly touching. To convey such emotion in bite-sized pieces is an achievement. As such it’s the perfect book for travellers, commuters and uncommitted readers.
The most telling thing I can say about this book is that it made me laugh on the train, several times. I give it 9/10 and a thumbs up.
