When You Are Engulfed in Flames

When You Are Engulfed In Flames

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We can notify you when this item is back in stock. Home Contact Us Help Free delivery worldwide. Description David Sedaris's remarkable ability to uncover the hilarious absurdity teeming just below the surface of everyday life is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this new book of stories. Sedaris proceeds from bizarre conundrums of daily life - the etiquette of having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger or how to soundproof your windows with LP covers against neurotic songbirds - to the most deeply resonant human truths.

Taking in the parasitic worm that once lived in his mother-in-law's leg, an encounter with a dingo and the purchase of a human skeleton, and culminating in a brilliant account of his attempt to quit smoking - in Tokyo - David Sedaris's sixth story collection is a fresh masterpiece of comic writing. The Best Books of Check out the top books of the year on our page Best Books of Looking for beautiful books?

Visit our Beautiful Books page and find lovely books for kids, photography lovers and more. Review Text A virtual Klondike of darkly glittering anecdotes. Adam Mars-Jones, Observer show more. Review quote The most popular American humorist since Woody Allen View all 16 comments. Apr 07, Jason Koivu rated it liked it Shelves: When You Are Engulfed in Flames continues David Sedaris' cataloguing of the awkward moments of his life in humorous, memoir-like essays. Herein are more of his usual daily-life topics: Sedaris is very open about his personal issues. He has some OCDs and while it's surely hell to live through, he kindly plucks out the funny bits for our amusement.

The writing is getting a little bit too meta at this point for me. His daily life over the last few years, due to his own fame and fortune, has become less relatable for us commoners. Thus his material that finds him flying about the world, living in Paris and Tokyo, etc. The regional idiosyncrasies of the travel-related pieces are good for a few laughs, but they just don't elicit the same home-grown guffaws that sprouted naturally from the stories of his middle class American family's upbringing of him and his many siblings. Still though, I've enjoyed this a couple times and would again.

For people that prefer observational humor and would rather steer clear of his highly personal anecdotes. Trust me, they get even more personal than this! Oct 24, RandomAnthony rated it really liked it. You know, Montambo is right, this is Sedaris' best book. While earlier in his career the author seemed to go for easy laughs Look at my brother! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Sedaris sounds like a real writer in this book; the essays flow unforced and genuine insight accompanies the punch lines. Sedaris doesn't seem to be writing for p You know, Montambo is right, this is Sedaris' best book.

Sedaris doesn't seem to be writing for performance here as much as writing for the page; that's a welcome change, in my eyes.

An extract from 'When You Are Engulfed in Flames' by David Sedaris

Not my favorite Sedaris. This one seemed to be darker and more serious than the others of his I have read includes some artsy filler stories. There were some of the usual amusing tales - most of which in this book took place in France or on an airplane. I don't think I would recommend that someone start here if th 3. I don't think I would recommend that someone start here if they want to try Sedaris, but if you have read and enjoyed him before, this will be a good one to read.

View all 9 comments. Eileen I just downloaded this audiobook and Theft by Finding and I'm trying to decide which one to begin with.

Though I'm tempted to hold off and just wait f I just downloaded this audiobook and Theft by Finding and I'm trying to decide which one to begin with. Though I'm tempted to hold off and just wait for my turn in line for Naked. I have a long line of other books waiting to be read first!

Though I'm tempted to hold off Eileen wrote: I have a long lin Jan 04, V. Briceland rated it did not like it. Sedaris, First off, I understand that you live in France. Where they speak French, because it's France. Thank you for reminding me you live in France, with your boyfriend, where they speak French, with funny French accents, and funny funny French words, with their French ways, every ten to twelve pages. Else I might have forgotten you live in.

No, seriously, I'm glad you have an army of NPR-head fans to squirm with delight at your every little bon mot. As a former fan, however, I'm a little distressed at the direction you've been moving over the last several years, especially in this volume. I understand that your legions of fans love it when you collect eccentrics like some eBay addicts collect Precious Moments figurines.

It seems to me, however, that even as you celebrate the grotesque in every essay, you seem less in touch with the real, the good, and the positive. If it doesn't belong in a freak show, the material seemingly doesn't belong in your book. For example, it seems as if you have a very patient boyfriend who cares for you, but you show precious little evidence of returning the affection as in your essays you toss aside the flowers he buys you, mock his musical enthusiasms, and generally diminish his role in your life. You recoil with horror when a friendly cabbie offers to help you find companionship in a strange city, but you lovingly recall for several long pages the memory of looking at photos with your sister of a woman copulating with a horse.

Oh, I'm all for celebrating oddities.

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The mainstream gets enough attention. The fussy, grandmotherly way in which you gather them to your sides and cultivate them, however, lately borders less on comedy or insightful reporting, and more toward outright pathology. It seems a shame, as I know you're a much more capable writer than your adoring fans want you to be. We suffered for too many years with your funny French lessons. Please, please, don't do the same with Japanese. May 31, Brian rated it it was ok Shelves: After reading Sedaris' previous collection, I began to suspect that he had mined all of the material he could from his family and the earlier hard times he experienced.

It appeared he was now left with the task of finding hilarity and poignancy in the life of a rich, celebrated author. In their place we are left with essays After reading Sedaris' previous collection, I began to suspect that he had mined all of the material he could from his family and the earlier hard times he experienced. In their place we are left with essays about catching flies, cantankerous car service drivers, and foul-mouthed airline passengers two essays on this topic in fact.

This would be a real problem if they weren't entertaining most are , but they lack the quality of desperation that so fueled his earlier work. Add to that the author's note at the beginning of the book: Certain characters have fictitious names and identifying characteristics," along with a recent article from The New Republic revealing him as a serial exaggerator , and I'm left with the impression that his best work is behind him. I hope he proves me wrong. Apr 26, Shannon rated it it was amazing Shelves: I don't quite get the people who say this isn't as funny as his other books- I thought it was plenty funny.

The comment about having a dollar sweater that looked like it had been thrown to a tiger and thus was already ruined and incapable of being further ruined.. And saying a cracker tasted like penis. And lots of little one-liners. But what's really awesome about his stuff is that it's MORE than just a bunch of one-liners. He really is a very observant, intelligent, hil I don't quite get the people who say this isn't as funny as his other books- I thought it was plenty funny. He really is a very observant, intelligent, hilarious writer.

Admittedly a few times he seemed to kind of go.. So, I guess, some of the essays were a bit less cohesive than usual. But, he can pull it off. I could listen to him ramble about anything. It's so awesome that he can complain so much about his partner and yet do so in a way that indicates clearly that he is deeply in love with him.

Oh, and speaking of adorable. I listened to the audio-book version of this, too. If you haven't heard Sedaris read his work, you're missing out. Because I'm a spaz for Chip Kidd I have to say this: I think it's really apt for this book, because, besides several literal references to skeletons and smoking in this book.. I think it captures the overall mood.. Kind of awesomely dark and a bit morbid, I think. The reasons that this didn't get a 1 star from me are because 1. I didn't actively dislike anything about it, I just found it boring and 2.

David Sedaris' narration is great. Actually, his narrating is probably one of the only things I did like about this book. So enjoyable, in fact, that I've been driving to work almost in tears from laughter. What I exp The reasons that this didn't get a 1 star from me are because 1. What I expected from this collection was that. And that is not what I got. Perhaps it was my own false assumption, but these stories were neither funny, nor memorable.

If I hadn't listened to the audiobook on my hour-long commute to and from work this week and instead had chosen to read the stories, I probably would've given up after the first few. But Sedaris' companionship during my drive kept me optimistic, hoping that the next story would be better than the last. In the end though, I didn't really love any of them.

I will, however, check out another Sedaris audiobook because 1.

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I've heard much better things about his other collections. Jun 11, brian tanabe rated it really liked it.

When I first saw this in a bookstore I thought to myself, can he do it again? Is there more scrapable hilarity clinging to the walls of his interesting life, fit to amuse and entertain his many fans? Sedaris does in fact do it again and apparently there's an endless well of funny stuffy, a font of hilarity, within this man. This is another great collection, on par with his other works for all the Sedaris fans out there. Helen is too good or bad to be true. You got something better to do?

View all 14 comments. And nothing in When You Are Engulfed in Flames makes me adore him less — not even his ultra-competitiveness with children and his cavalier attitude towards cancer. When You Are Engulfed in Flames explores the give-and-take of long-term relationships, some objectionable neighbors, the struggles of quitting smoking or learning a new language, and Japanese society — always in pretty funny ways.

Jun 10, Imogen rated it really liked it. When I am not reading David Sedaris, I am thinking: David Sedaris, man, there is a popular guy whose books are kind of just always around and not very interesting. I think it's a testament to my always forgetting how much I like him that I guess I've read all his stuff, but I absolutely never think of him as an au When I am not reading David Sedaris, I am thinking: I think it's a testament to my always forgetting how much I like him that I guess I've read all his stuff, but I absolutely never think of him as an author I like when I'm thinking about authors I like.

Kind of like Chuck Palahniuk, except more explicit. I also like that one time at the Strand he was reading and he asked, 'who here is totally stoked about the new George Romero zombie movie? Anyway, I don't know if I'd pay twenty-five dollars for this as a new book, but I don't know if I'd pay twenty-five dollars for anything as a new book, so that is the wrong question to ask me.

Oct 01, Rae rated it it was amazing Shelves: Another exceptional work by Mr. Kept me laughing from beginning to end. Jun 12, Alana rated it really liked it Shelves: While I certainly won't call this the best David Sedaris collection that you can purchase for yourself, I will say that any David Sedaris is worth reading -- and thus, my star rating. It would probably be more like three and a half if Goodreads did half stars the way LibraryThing does, but ah well.

The observation I have for this collection is that with Mr. Sedaris giving up drinking, drugs, and smoking Much more focus on his boyfriend Hugh or stories ti While I certainly won't call this the best David Sedaris collection that you can purchase for yourself, I will say that any David Sedaris is worth reading -- and thus, my star rating. Much more focus on his boyfriend Hugh or stories tinged with a bit of melancholy.

The NY Times mentioned the story about his parents' art collection, which is perhaps one of the better crafted stories. My favorite, however, is called "Keeping Up" -- which talks about couples arguing on vacation and features Mr. Sedaris rehearsing his "I'm leaving you" speech to his boyfriend after Hugh's fast walking leaves Sedaris lost and alone in a zoo in Sydney. In general, it's nice to see Hugh making more of an appearance in Sedaris' stories. Sedaris' previous volumes have focused so much on his siblings that when you realize how long he and Hugh have been together, you're a bit surprised that it's taken Sedaris this long to mine his significant other for material.

In the past, he's popped up every now and then, but he's a much more substantial figure in this collection.

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As with Sedaris' other works, though, one can't help but wonder how his friends and relatives deal with having details of their lives published and sold. Unlike his parents and sisters, though, Sedaris consistently paints Hugh in a good light and one can't help but wonder how Sedaris can function without Hugh at times in this collection. In any case, while you might want to wait to purchase a paperback version, this collection does have several good chuckles.

I might not have been struggling for breath as I have once or twice in the past "Six to Eight Black Men" comes to mind , but I still think that anyone who enjoys Sedaris should not miss this most recent offering.

Sep 13, Julie rated it really liked it. This collection of personal essays is not for everyone. My grandmother, who died three years ago at the age of 87, would've been hospitalized by the third chapter. My year-old father, who is alive and kicking, wouldn't crack the cover. The musings of a white, gay, affluent male with an extensive drug past aren't for everyone.

But, I couldn't stop laughing. To be specific, I chuckled, I chortled, I giggled, I guffawed. I tittered behind my hand, I fell forward with deep This collection of personal essays is not for everyone. I tittered behind my hand, I fell forward with deep belly roars. It's the most exercise I've had in months. Somehow, David Sedaris and I share the same parents. And, his parents apparently used the same parenting guide book that my parents used. It's not necessarily funny as you're living it, but it's funny reading it in this book.

His essay "The Understudy," about the house-sitter who comes to stay with the six kids for the week had me laughing almost uncontrollably. I read and re-read particular paragraphs to my husband and my teenaged son, who could not even imagine these people. I also loved "The Smoking Section," where Sedaris makes it clear that he did not become a smoker because of peer pressure at school, low self esteem, ads, or depression.

He became a smoker because he loved smoking. Despite an abundance of potty language and some sexual descriptions I could have lived without, I responded, almost immediately, to his honesty and humor and look forward to reading more. Apr 26, Valerie rated it liked it Shelves: When I first started reading this book, I found myself disappointedly thinking that it was just more of the same from David Sedaris - stories that either make you laugh out loud or make you cringe or more often both. Don't get me wrong - he's still funny - but I was expecting more from this one I liked his earlier books because they were more raw, the stories a bit more unexpected.

The beginning of this one felt a little recycled, and I was ready to be do When I first started reading this book, I found myself disappointedly thinking that it was just more of the same from David Sedaris - stories that either make you laugh out loud or make you cringe or more often both. The beginning of this one felt a little recycled, and I was ready to be done reading it. But then about two-thirds of the way through, the stories lost their formulaic feeling, and an unexpected poignancy crept in.

I ended up really enjoying the the last few stories, in particular the last, titled The Smoking Section. I think the editors started out with the lightest stories and saved the best for the end. I wish I'd read it backwards. Aug 10, Paul E. This collection of humorous essays, a lot of which are extrapolated from Sedaris' diary entries, is mostly absolutely hilarious with the occasional poignant moment here and there. Hearing Sedaris deliver his material is a whole different beast from reading it yourself. The only reason I haven't given this 5 stars is becau This collection of humorous essays, a lot of which are extrapolated from Sedaris' diary entries, is mostly absolutely hilarious with the occasional poignant moment here and there.

The only reason I haven't given this 5 stars is because there are a few moments where I found Sedaris' antics more irritating than amusing. For the most part, though, this is a very funny book. Aug 30, Shelly rated it it was ok Shelves: I think the honeymoon is over. Or, maybe I'm just too hard to please.

Wait, I don't think those are mutually exclusive. In any event, I was let down. It gave me the sense that he was under pressure to put another book out. So he follows the formula that's worked for him so well only this time the content's not nearly as entertaining, or noteworthy. One chapter is about a boil he had that his pa I think the honeymoon is over.

One chapter is about a boil he had that his partner, Hugh, ended up popping for him. While I like gross, there's not much else to it. Speaking of Hugh, there was way too much of him. He's not nearly as entertaining or interesting as any of David's family members, particularly Amy. The book's ending chapters take place in Tokyo. Which I found refreshing, it's a much needed change of scenery. And there are some really funny scenes that take place here.

But for the most part this section drags.

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