| | |  | Essays | Home » » » » When You Are Engulfed in Flames | | | | | | | Description: | | "David Sedaris's ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art," (The Christian Science Monitor) is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this remarkable new book.
Trying to make coffee when the water is shut off, David considers using the water in a vase of flowers and his chain of associations takes him from the French countryside to a hilariously uncomfortable memory of buying drugs in a mobile home in rural North Carolina. In essay after essay, Sedaris proceeds from bizarre conundrums of daily life-having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger on a plane or armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds-to the most deeply resonant human truths. Culminating in a brilliant account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris's sixth essay collection is a new masterpiece of comic writing from "a writer worth treasuring" (Seattle Times).
Praise for When You Are Engulfed in Flames:
"Older, wiser, smarter and meaner, Sedaris...defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." --Kirkus Reviews
This latest collection proves that not only does Sedaris still have it, but he's also getting better....Sedaris's best stuff will still--after all this time--move, surprise, and entertain." --Booklist
Table of Contents:
It's Catching
Keeping Up
The Understudy
This Old House
Buddy, Can You Spare a Tie?
Road Trips
What I Learned
That's Amore
The Monster Mash
In the Waiting Room
Solutions to Saturday's Puzzle
Adult Figures Charging Toward a Concrete Toadstool
Memento Mori
All the Beauty You Will Ever Need
Town and Country
Aerial
The Man in the Hut
Of Mice and Men
April in Paris
Crybaby
Old Faithful
The Smoking Section | | | Features: | |
• ISBN13: 9780316143479
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
•
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| David Sedaris | | Hardcover:
| 336 pages | | Publisher:
| Little, Brown and Company | | Publication Date:
| June 03, 2008 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0316143472 | | Package Length:
| 8.4 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.8 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.2 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 340 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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 AWESOME!Nov 02, 2009
THE best of the David Sedaris books. Hysterical chapters on family, living abroad, attempting to stop smoking, meeting strangers, trying to learn a new language, etc. Such a witty and real perspective on life.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Is this your first attempt at a Sedaris book?Oct 29, 2009
If you have never read any other Sedaris books, don't read this one. You may never discover why he is a popular as he is. By far the most disappointing book to date. Grab any other. Just not this one. Only read this if you want to be able to say you have read all of his books. There are some good parts but they are few and far between.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Most. Disappointing. Sedaris. EVER!Oct 27, 2009
This book is just mundane. I hate to say it, but Sedaris has gotten old and apparently with oldness comes boringness. "Naked" is one of my all-time top 5 books. But now, well, David Sedaris has given up all his faults and vices, except for being anal (pun kind of intended).
The book starts out strong, typically hilarious slice-of-life Sedaris, but then he gets all into quitting smoking and it turns into the kind of self-improvement stuff I just have no time for.
I can't believe I'd ever say this about the man I once considered my favorite author, but I didn't even finish the book.
Always a pleasureOct 25, 2009
David Sedaris is always hilarious and touching, and When You Are Engulfed in Flames was no exception. I listened to this on audiobook during my commute, and I was alternately laughing and tearing up on the highway! This wasn't my favorite Sedaris that I've ever read, but he's still better than most of what's out there, especially when you are listening to him on audio. He is one of my favorite narrators; his delivery is delightful. While I have purchased his audio versions of Holidays on Ice and Live at Carnegie Hall to listen to over and over again, this was one that I chose to borrow from the library and probably wouldn't purchase. I did enjoy it a lot, but I am pretty frugal (a Scroogey miser). If the price doesn't seem extravagant to you, I would say it's definitely worth it. If $25 seems like a bit much (hello, kindred spirit!) request this from your local library. You'll be glad you did.
such a fun read!Oct 25, 2009
i laughed out loud at several points in this book. being my first Sedaris book, you can rest assured that i will be downloading more this afternoon. lots of fun. if you like his writing or his radio you will not be dissappointed.
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