Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless
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I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice!
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Gripping
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This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
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Six Sick Seasonal Stories!
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Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
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A Good Read
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I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
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I Brake for "Santaland Diaries"
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Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
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