Fiction Review: David Sedaris Book, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames"

There is a reason Publishers Weekly calls New York Times Bestselling author David Sedaris, "Garrison Keillor's evil twin." It's a perfect fit for David Sedaris books. They are a collection of short stories and When You Are Engulfed in Flames is his latest published collection.

Fiction Review: David Sedaris Book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames

When You are Engulfed in Flames is David Sedaris 7th collection of essays. In the story about crabs, boils and parasites, I laughed out loud. But in the story when he accidentally spit a cough lozenge into the lap of his airplane seatmate, I thought I would fall out of my chair.

And I loved the scene where he found himself sitting in a doctor's office in his underwear. These things happen but they are the type of self-depreciating observations you save for your family, not the whole world...that is, unless you are David Sedaris.

And there is no subject too sacred for David Sedaris to share. His first story in Engulfed in Flames is about a married couple he happened to meet as a teen who turn out to be sexual deviants. The bow tie story and the smoking story were my favorites. Here is a good David Sedaris excerpt from the smoking story:

"Camels were for procrastinators, those who wrote bad poetry and those who put off writing bad poetry. Mores were for people who considered themselves to be outrageous but really weren't."

His stories are funny, sad, quirky and poignant even if they exude a touch of exaggeration. What writer doesn't take liberties? I can just see David Sedaris and his family after an incident. I am sure they turn to him and say, "You're going to write about this aren't you?" His observations about everyday situations cause some readers to re-evaluate things. This makes his books light-hearted but also thought provoking.

Fiction Review: David Sedaris Book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames

In this fiction review, out of a score of ten, I give this David Sedaris book, When You are Engulfed in Flames, an eight. I consider some of the humor in this fiction book for adults only which is not my first choice for humor. Other than that, I enjoy reading a David Sedaris book.

Click here to read another fiction review by this writer. David Sedaris recommends Jimcy Willet. Watch for an upcoming fiction review of her book.