Scan barcode
andsheewas's review against another edition
5.0
"The Smoking Section" alone makes this one of Sedaris' finest. Then again, I am rarely disappointed by him.
j_rowley's review against another edition
4.0
David Sedaris is a very entertaining storyteller. His essays take ordinary encounters and turn them on end so that they are funny but not mean. (although if I was one of his family members, I might disagree) This particular group of essays talk about his move to France with his boyfriend and his decision to quit smoking.
alainabuzas's review against another edition
4.0
one of my favorite authors + one of my favorite vanGogh paintings. I have super high expectations.
greenmtgirl's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite David Sedaris yet - richer than Me Talk Pretty One Day.
pasc96's review against another edition
3.0
Those who read The New Yorker will find many of these essays very familiar, as most were first published in the magazine before ending up in this compilation. While not as zany as Naked or Me Talk Pretty One Day (my two Sedaris faves), "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" was still a very enjoyable, laugh-out-loud read. This one chronicles Sedaris tackling such responsible activities as quitting smoking and building a long-term relationship. In a way, Sedaris's catalog shows how he is really growing up now, in middle age, with his later works exhibiting more maturity than his earlier books.
lorigassie's review against another edition
5.0
Great as an audiobook! I think this is probably more enjoyable in audio form than in actually reading it because it captures the many voices and attitudes of the characters. Great short stories.... very funny!
kallmen's review against another edition
5.0
My love for David Sedaris grows and grows. I read this book years ago, but recently indulged in the audiobook. Hearing it in the author's voice changed the way I interpreted so many things... So enjoyed hearing him read it. Well done!
lotuschildearthdaughter's review against another edition
4.0
Not as laugh-out-loud funny as previous books, but there are some chuckles.
ctingle's review against another edition
3.0
While I ended up enjoying this book, it lost points with me because I found the narrator to be pretentious in several essays in the first half of the book. I just couldn't relate to his experiences, and although I'm not expecting to relate to every book I read (what would be the point of reading if I did?), I found Sedaris to be insufferable at times which made the book tough to read. I thought the second half of the book was much more enjoyable, probably because his self-deprecating humor was more well written, in my opinion.