wombat_88's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
mamalemma's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a mixed bag. David Sedaris is at his best when telling stories about his life. Several of the pieces in this book are over-the-top satire, which I didn't enjoy like I do his biographical stories. Several of the other essays are ones I had read previously in other books, so overall, this wasn't one of his better books for me.
alisarae's review against another edition
2.0
The quality of the stories is a real toss-up. Though I generally like David Sedaris (audiobooks read by him are the best way to enjoy his stories), his stories about life abroad are always the laugh-out-loud funniest.
Unfortunately a few of the stories in this collection are black humor or even darker, and some are outright offensive. So much so that I skipped to the next one. I wouldn't recommend this book because there were only two really good stories in the whole thing (Jesus Shaves, and Six to Eight Black Men -- not quite honest but funny nonetheless).
Unfortunately a few of the stories in this collection are black humor or even darker, and some are outright offensive. So much so that I skipped to the next one. I wouldn't recommend this book because there were only two really good stories in the whole thing (Jesus Shaves, and Six to Eight Black Men -- not quite honest but funny nonetheless).
ladymantis35's review against another edition
dark
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
steakuccino's review against another edition
3.0
Not Sedaris' best work overall, but it does contain my very favorite thing he has ever written, "Six to Eight Black Men," so it's still not bad. It also helps that Sedaris reads most of it himself. Frankly, his work is best by far when read by him.
theinkwyrm's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, short, unconventional holiday collection. My two favorites were Front Row Center with Thaddeus Bristol and The Monster Mash.
shanviolinlove's review against another edition
2.0
I was very excited to find this audiobook at my local library. David Sedaris' "deadpan voice," if I may, is perfect for his essays, and as this collection included "Six to Eight Black Men," a personal fave, I was ready for more hilarity.
While I enjoyed revisiting that and Santaland Diaries, I found that, while Sedaris' humor tends to sway toward the irreverent, this collection was often downright offensive for my taste. I have yet to see a collection of essays live up to the sharp wit and creative humor he demonstrated in Me Talk Pretty One Day. Holiday on Ice is a collection I will not revisit and, had this been the first of his essays that I ever read, I would probably not have ventured much further in Sedaris' works.
While I enjoyed revisiting that and Santaland Diaries, I found that, while Sedaris' humor tends to sway toward the irreverent, this collection was often downright offensive for my taste. I have yet to see a collection of essays live up to the sharp wit and creative humor he demonstrated in Me Talk Pretty One Day. Holiday on Ice is a collection I will not revisit and, had this been the first of his essays that I ever read, I would probably not have ventured much further in Sedaris' works.
jschmidt10's review against another edition
3.0
This was a great small collection of essays that capture, especially in the first essay (I forget the whole title of it, something about Santaland!) the commercialization of Christmas with fresh language. This was the first I read Sedaris, and I plan to go back and read one of his memoirs. Recommendations welcome!
cogsofencouragement's review against another edition
3.0
Dry humor, mixed with dark humor, mixed with REALLY dark humor.
rinemily's review against another edition
3.0
The SantaLand Diaries is one of my favorite David Sedaris stories so I knew I would like that one. The others though don't live up to being in the same book as it.