Book Review - "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" - David Sedaris

YAY! Sedaris is back! I loved this book!

I was wary because my Sedaris reading history had been mixed - ranging from the sublime "Me Talk Pretty One Day" to the awful "Barrel Fever". With "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" he's back to sublime.

I think I actually liked it better than "Me Talk Pretty One Day" because he seems to have mellowed with age. He still has a smart, acerbic wit - but he's not mean in this book. In fact there are even some stories that while still funny have more heart than his work in the past.

My favorite essay from the book was "April in Paris" where he talks about his *relationship* with a house spider he adopts and names April. Bitingly funny, but sweet nonetheless.

I definitely recommend it - IMO it's Sedaris at his best.