Customer Reviews

Barrel Fever and Other Stories

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. The best part is the essay "Santaland Diaries," about Sedaris' experience as an elf at Macy's. I read it out loud to my mother in the car and we couldn't stop laughing. The short stories are excellent too, especially "The Last You'll Hear from Me." If you like this, you should also read "Naked," Sedaris' memoir; it's even better.

I once saw a very ordinary, unassuming,seemingly meek fellow appear as a guest on David Letterman. I stopped to listen to this mild-mannered gentleman for a few minutes only to find myself laughing harder and louder than I can remember in recent history. I predict I will own a copy of every book this man ever writes. In this troubled world, we all need to laugh as much as we need to eat, and Sedaris provides a banquet. He is truly gifted beyond words.

I had to give this a 5 star review because Sedaris makes me laugh out loud. Everyone will think you're a nut while you're reading this because you will be unable to stifle your snickers. His character is so twisted that I can't believe he's talking about himself! I refuse to swallow that those stories are even half-way true. Not all of the stories are funny but there are plenty of laughs in this book. I'll read anything he wants to write!

Listen with care. This has to be the best comedy CD I ever bought. I suggest you do not listen to it in the car, for you might get pulled over and asked to blow on a breathalizer. This cd is well worth the money and more. Especially when he talks about him and Mike Tyson. :-)

As a general rule, I avoid audio books. The actual texts are cheaper, and I find that I get a fuller experience of the book when I read it myself.

David Sedaris is the exception to that rule.
Don't get me wrong; I love reading his work. I've read everything I can by him and enjoyed every mintue. The exception is that as much as I enjoy reading his work, listening to him read it is all that much better.

Sedaris' voice is perfect; soft and dry like his humor. And since most of these stories and essays are autobiographical in nature, his reading takes on a kind of life that you can't get by reading it, it becomes more like a friend telling an anecdote at a party, it becomes personal.

Anybody can be slapstick. Anyone can put on a goofy voice and make you laugh by being silly. David Sedaris gives you more to laugh about, and is all the better for it. When you find yourself laughing out loud at his soft spoken, earnest phrases, you'll laugh some more just because. It's a wonderful experience.

I have owned and lost all of David's books, at least once. I loan them out and people won't give them back! They're that good! I would recommend reading any of his books! His sister Amy also has a couple of good ones out there!

I picked up on Sedaris later than the 'in' crowd and began reading his books chronologically backwards- from 'Engulfed in Flames' to 'Barrel Fever' and can't say enough about this book. Usually when you start readig most works by an author some pale in comparison to others and by the end of the adventure you realize most authors have 'hits' and 'misses' and you should vet a bit more carefully before buying someone's entire collected works. This was the last Sedaris book I had left to finish reading his entire body of work and it was just as funny as anything else I read of his. I would recommend anyone who is a fan of Sedaris or dark comedy in general pick this up.

The reviews of the audiobook are much more positive than the reviews of the written work, the latter of which struck readers as not as good as Sedaris' more recent work. One does get the sense from some of the stories that Sedaris was cleaning out his bottom drawer to capitalize on the success of his Santaland Diaries by pasting together a book-length work.

But Sedaris' reading, with the help of his sister who does the female or young boy parts, makes the book exceptionally funny. The "Rooster" story is just terrific. I also loved the "Homophobia Newsletter" as a wonderful bit of irony about those who embrace victim-hood a bit too easily. That and the "Rooster" made me laugh the most.

The alcoholism theme runs in a number of stories and is dealt with the most in "Barrel Fever." I found this story to be quite interesting in its use of irony, including the heresy of poking fun at the 12-steppers whose cure is sometimes almost as bad as the disease.

These stories are good and the reading even better.

This is the best of the best, as far as I'm concerned. "You Can't Kill the Rooster" will crack up anyone raised in or currently living in the South - we all have known guys like David's younger brother Paul, a.k.a. The Rooster.

David Sedaris is one funny, talented man. It's one thing to read his work, but I heartily recommend you listen to him on audio cassette or CD...his delivery is nothing short of sensational. The only problem is, once you listen to one book on CD/tape, you are compelled to get them all...which I have, much to the delight of amazon.com!