11 member(s) found this review helpful.
David Sedaris' first book, "Barrel Fever," gives the clearest distinction between a story and an essay that I have ever seen. I own a copy of Sedaris' most recent work, "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," and I thought "Barrel Fever" would be much the same: Hilarious tales of Sedaris' real life, from his childhood in suburban North Carolina to his present-day life as a witty ex-pat in Paris. But the majority of "Barrel Fever" is "stories." That is to say, fiction. Hilarious fiction, yes, but more raucous, more raw, than his later works. Instead of Sedaris being himself, he is a teenaged girl, directing her own funeral service from beyond the grave. Or, he becomes a harried housewife, telling the world of her family's bizzare woes through an overly cheerful!!! Christmas letter. Newcomers should be able to enjoy his writing style, but those familiar with his work also will be able to recognize the true-to-life facts hiding behind the fiction. The book ends with the very funny "SantaLand Diaries" essay -- the reading of which on National Public Radio brought Sedaris his first measure of public fame. All in all, "Barrel Fever" was a great and very pleasant surprise to this Sedaris fan.

Lesly L. (
lajls) wrote on 6/24/2007...
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
A bit edgier that the other collection of Sedaris essays, but still an entertaining read.

Sarah S. (
Delos) wrote on 12/30/2005...
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I defy you to read the story about his working at the Macy's Santaland and not laugh out loud so much that it hurts. Impossible. It's flat out hysterical writing that can also be touching.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fall-over funny book. Don't take this to read in any place where you want to be seen as dignified.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
The characters in the short stories are crazy but they themselves do not know they are crazy. To save his infant nephew from neglect and abuse, a young man figures he will get away with kidnapping the baby. A cheapskate father saves dough by doing surgery at home on his daughter, using yarn for stitches. A teenage girl leaves a suicide note to be read at her funeral, one designed to exact revenge and start a brawl. Sedaris writes about the angry, the drunk, the lost in the old neighborhood that we are glad we don’t know anymore. Unsettling. This collection will bring to mind Hubert Requiem for a Dream Selby sooner than Garrison Precious PBS Keillor.

Julie S. (
SLPinCA) wrote on 5/30/2007...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I am a huge David Sadaris fan, but for some reason this book was a bit over-the-top for me. I love his sense of humor, but the stories in this book were darker than those in "Me Talk PRetty One Day" and "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim". Perhaps I am not a "true fan" if I didn't like this. Nevertheless, I didn't finish it.

Sue C. (
sues) wrote on 3/18/2006...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Laugh out loud funny in spots. Just plain odd in others.