The three I've recently read, and you should too
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I've recently come across three fantastic funny books. The first was called BARRING SOME UNFORESEEN ACCIDENT and it just blew me away. Second was THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES by Ceclia Ahern, and finally, last but not least NAKED by Sedaris.
If you like to laugh, you'll enjoy these books, but I have to say that NAKED was the best yet. Now, I've not read a lot of Sedaris, but he's one funny guy. The book is a hilarious collection of memoirs, essays, the usual hodge-podge that Sedaris somehow manaages to make work. Possibly the best story is A PLAGUE OF TICS which involves his literaly "nakedness" in front of a bunch of loonies. Sedaris is a master storyteller of immense proportions and his humour translates easily from America to England. Kudos to the master.
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Books like this will give essays a good name
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This is a book of short autobiographical writings or essays. I don't usually like books of short essays. I don't even like the word essay, as it brings back memories of schooldays when instead of being allowed time to play we were expected to write an essay for homework on such riveting subjects like 'what I did on my holidays', 'my dog/cat' or 'my favourite colour'. I like a book with a story that I can get my teeth into; you can't do that with essays/short writings because the story is usually over just as soon as it begins.
I would have a change my mind if they were all as wonderful as 'Naked' though. This is a really excellent book. It contains 17 deeply funny pieces and, no word of a lie, every single one is a gem. David Sedaris is obviously an outrageously talented writer. Whilst each piece is outrageous as well as being hilarious they all have a great depth & wisdom.
In short, David Sedaris is able to write more in thirty pages than most writers can do in 300.
I can highly recommend this book. Read it now.
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He can't go wrong
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Sedaris is a great and funny writer. Humour is hard to do standing up, but on the written page it can fall flat and be fatal. Sedaris's book ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY is his best work and NAKED takes a good solid second place to that. I'd give BARREL FEVER third. This said, you should still read NAKED as it has got some great material in it. "A Plague of tics" is by far the best thing in the book and you'll wet yourself in public reading this if you're not careful. Would also recommend the funny book KATZENJAMMER by McCrae if you want something Sedaris like but with a great many twists and turns.
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