He Puts the "Fun" in Dysfunction

I was lent this book by a friend. She had two copies and gave me one before I moved out of state. I read it on the plane. I knew that wouldn't be a good idea. I would be sitting there giggling to myself and getting the "evil eye" from other passengers. I could have tried to hide behind the book, but there is a naked Barbie type doll on the cover, front on the front, back on the back. I think people were afraid to ask what I was reading because of the cover. I also think people were wondering why I was laughing based on what was on the cover. Good joke, Sedaris.

The beginning few stories were not as funny as I had hoped, but by the end I was cracking up. At times I felt bad for laughing at certain moments that might have been sad or uncomfortable, but Sedaris just has such a great way of writing humorously.

I sometimes wish my life was as interesting enough to write about, but not the kind of interesting that Sedaris' life was. I don't know how I would particularly react if I had a close relation that wrote about me in a not-always-so-good light which is actually mentioned in one or two of the stories.

I liked the book, but I kind of hate that I liked the book. I feel that a lot of this shouldn't have been funny but was. I think the real problem I had with this book is that I felt bad for laughing, and that's not just because people were giving me funny looks.

Let's put it this way, I wish David Sedaris would write fiction. He really has a way with words that I enjoy and he is a very good humorist. Writing humor is hard, and he has the knack. I will probably read another book by him, but I'm in no real rush to do so. Out of 5 stars, I would give it a solid 3... I could take it or leave it.