Customer Reviews

The Dreaded Feast: Writers on Enduring the Holidays

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The Dreaded Feast: Writers on Enduring the Holidays is a terrific read for those who've embraced the realities of our holiday traditions....no Santa, the Pilgrims most likely didn't have jellied cranberry sauce, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially Home for the Holidays, A Survivor's Frightening Account by
Chris Radant. I'd follow this writer anywhere!

Having endured my mother's baked apples stuffed with raisins every Christmas ("they are so GOOD this year, mom!") and holiday booze-fests turned red state vs blue state screaming matches with right-wing in-laws, I was happy to see that this collection does the title justice. Dreaded indeed, the holidays (in my book) are a load of rubbish and this hilarious book will take the edge off the worst of them. Thank heavens for Sedaris, Thurber, Waters, Trillin et al for this survivors manual. Perhaps it will reduce the incidence of the big S, which, not surprisingly, spikes during the holidays. Great read if you like humor and loath the holidays.

Worth the purchase price just for Graham Roumieu's wonderful cover illustration--rarely has a single image so succinctly captured a book's theme. One look at "The Dreaded Feast"'s darkly humorous cover and I guarantee you'll know if this book is for you.

All of the stories here are previously published and most can be found elsewhere quite easily, although "The Dreaded Feast" is a handy collection. Where else will you find today's best humorists (David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, David Rakoff, and Jonathan Ames) alongside classic writers (Charles Bukowski, George Plimpton, and John Cheever)? There are some surprises, such as John Waters's selection, "Why I Love Christmas," and "Santa Claus's" "Santa Responds." And, of course, there's a couple of duds--"Susie's Letter From Santa" is clearly not Mark Twain's best work.

The gap between the various writing styles can be a difficult chasm to bridge; I can't really think of two authors more different than John Cheever and Dave Barry, although I enjoy them both. I also found myself constantly flipping to the back of the book to find the date that a particular story originated so that I could read it in context. Lewis Lapham's "Christmas Carol," for instance, lampoons mid-90s Big Business, and it's jarring to read it side-by-side with Roy Blount Jr.'s 2008 recession parody "Xmas Words." Rather than reading this cover-to-cover, it's probably best digested a story or two at a time.

(Note that the Augusten Burroughs story is from "Running With Scissors," and is curiously not included in his own Christmas collection, "You Better Not Cry.")

We (my husband and I) happened to be at "Book Passage" (Marin County, CA) last Thursday (Dec 17th '09) looking for gifts for friends, family, etc. that they might not buy for themselves.

Michele Clarke was doing readings from "The Dreaded Feast" and everyone in the audience was having such a good time laughing that we wandered in to listen.

Our desperate shopping mode was over - - - this is a fun read and perfect for bringing reality to the "Holiday Season."

"Do you face holidays with a mixture of dread and obligation?" reads the back cover of this delightful book on how various writers endure the holidays. Good mix from Mark Twain to P.J.O'Rourke, including Dave Barry, George Plimpton, John Cheever and many others. Start reading this about Halloween and continue through Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season and you just might survive. Imagine sitting there listening to your relative repeat the same story AGAIN and maybe you can recall one of these stories and give a chuckle or two to pass the time. Love this book!

Personally, on some levels I love the holidays, the traditions, the food, my nephews getting all worked up about Santa. But I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me crazy too (despite all the pies, cakes, and presents). And surprise I'm not alone! This collection has a wealth of really funny, sometimes sad, and always well-written pieces about the holidays. The John Waters piece is amazing and hysterical. And it's an awesome Christmas gift, pricing under $20. My mom bought one for every family member.

If you don't have the "ideal" family and your holiday events are really not celebrations, but something to be endured, you will love this book. There are many different authors sharing their insights and revelations. These stories will make you laugh as well as help you to feel better about your own family...hey, you aren't the only one!