Customer Reviews

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

5 star:		(139)
4 star:		(106)
3 star:		(51)
2 star:		(27)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

While not as sidesplitting in its entirety as "Me Talk Pretty One Day," this was an excellent book. Some of the pieces were still very funny, but there were some pieces that were just touching recollections. What I like is that even when DS is mocking some horrible traits shown by his family members, he also clearly loves them and that love shows through. He knows that you can love someone and not like everything that they do.

There are some clearly funny places though. The author's account of his brother's cooking habits and dog training techniques made me laugh so hard I dropped the book - then I immediately took it to my friend's house so she could read it, but made her read it aloud instead of doing it myself because I know I wouldn't have been able to speak aloud for the last few pages due to the gasping for air.

I also found it interesting that one of his sisters lives in my town - but my neighbor tells me this is not news, she'll introduce herself to you in the local library :)

God forbid we ever have a smoking prohibition, or DS will be in Tourette hell. I believe him utterly when he says that for him, smoking is a good thing.

If you like reading about imperfect people who care about each other but can be quite ludicrous, and observations of human oddity in general, this book is for you. (As are all his other books.) I found the second half of the book to be funnier than the first half.

One does not get the feeling that these stories really represent a slice of life but rather there is something almost super-real about these stories. But even as over the top as these stories sometimes can seem there is never a forced feeling, it does not seem to be so much due to any purpose intent on Sedaris' part, but just the way he is built- the OCD mind constantly running his finger over the edges of events in his life until they take on a cretin polish and shine from the constant handling. This, for me, is much of the charm of Sedaris and this is what allows him to combine his unique view of the world with stunning general insight to life.

Some who have enjoyed Sedaris' early books have been critical of this one for not being `as funny' as his earlier ones- for this I can only tell you that Sedaris is not your monkey to dance for your amusement for whenever you clap your hands. This book is certainly heavier at times than some of his earlier books, largely dealing with the themes of family and relationships, but this is the stuff of life- drink it in for what it is!

(That being said `Six to Eight Black Men' is one of the funniest David Sedaris stories ever.)

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is my second book by David Sedaris after finishing Holidays on Ice (one of the funniest books, ever). Unlike Holidays, Dress Your Family consists of 22 short stories that are all autobiographical in nature.

Dress Your Family doesn't quite have the belly laughs of Holidays, but it is comical nonetheless. One funny story is about his brother's wedding on the beach with his dogs as attendants (the flower girl was in heat). In another, he plays strip poker with his friends and makes up the rules in order to keep his clothes. Sedaris' self-deprecating humor is also amusing. The author had an unusual childhood, and while most boys were picking up footballs and hockey sticks, Sedaris was picking out wallpaper samples. But Dress Your Family is also filled with the angst of childhood, and most of us will identify with many of these stories. Some are downright heartbreaking. After dropping out of college, his father asks him to move out of the house. Only later does Sedaris learn the real reason: his father disapproves of his homosexuality.

Still, the Sedaris family has center stage here. With mom, dad, four sisters, and a very masculine brother, each one is quirkier than the next. It's hard to tell how much is Sedaris' very keen powers of observation, and how much is exaggeration. In any case, it's no wonder that when odd things happen to his sisters, they all scream at him "and I don't want to see this in one of your books!" Sedaris always promises to keep their secrets, but everyone knows they will appear sometime soon. Sedaris is an amazing writer and storyteller, and it is appropriate that he has such a rich source of material. I'm sure it will keep him going ad infinitum.

They come in droves, no, in battalions. They're sometimes called Sedaristas or fans of the record breaking best-selling author David Sedaris. He's the fellow who has made a fortune out of relating his life as an outsider, a down-and-outer, and a gay man in a straight world. He's done it with truth, wicked humor, and an uncanny perception allowing him to turn the ordinary into over-the-top.

His latest collection of short stories is now available on CD. They're read, of course, by Sedaris as only he can read them - in the voice familiar to millions on NPR. Whether he's a kid, a mom, or himself, he's in one word terrific.

Many of the selections offered here were taped during live performances. "Who's The Chef?" and "Six to Eight Black Men" were taped during his sell-out appearance at Carnegie Hall, and may also be heard on "David Sedaris Live At Carnegie Hall."

If you haven't heard Sedaris yet, don't waste another minute. He's an original, and he's incredibly entertaining. Laugh out loud funny, you say? That and then some.

- Gail Cooke

I love David Sedaris for the ease at which he can have you in side splitting hysterics. The anticipation of a new collection of essays means at least an hour or two of annoying loved ones and co-workers with, "one more section to read aloud".
However upon finishing this I only mustered up some hearty chuckles. Success hasn't spoiled Sedaris, it's just stripped him of his anonymity. Consequently placing himself in situations where he can silently observe are becoming obsolete.Most of the stories revolve around his family; a melancholic and unflattering collection of portraits that frankly I felt depressed more than amused. There are some very funny moments, but generally the absurd wit that runs through his previous essays was replaced by a sadder, softer tone. Still, fans of his work will find at least some things to giggle over, and that's more than alot of writers can say.

This book is jampacked with what David Sedaris is famous for...great and interesting stories about himself and his quirky family. With marvelous wit and a somewhat sarcastic tone, Sedaris makes you believe you know his family as well as he does.
A fun, quick read that can be picked up and put down at a later date, if youre able. Just alot of fun...though prudish readers may be put off at some parts.
David Sedaris is someone Id love to meet just to hear his stories about his offbeat family in person.

The essays in this new book manage to avoid both pat conclusions and unattractive self-pity that the subject matter could make for the author so easy to slide into. Many writers have taken as their subject matter oddball upbringings, eccentric family, and the feeling of being a perennial outsider, but most come across, at least part of the time, as too self-deprecating and too unaware that they aren't the only ones with these problems. Not so here.

In one essay, Sedaris writes about wanting to emulate a cool boy in his grade, even though that kid bullied him, and ends by admitting that he continued to wonder about him long after they parted ways. Most writers would try to end on some note that they've learned their "lesson" but Sedaris effortlessly avoids such pat conclusions. Because of this, even the most personal of the pieces can never be labeled as "naval gazing."

If anything, some of the pieces have enough emotional wallop that their shortness is frustrating. Particularly, I wanted to know if and how he ever reconciled with his father, who threw him out of the house (without explicitly saying so) for being gay. But then, I'm not the writer here.

I found this book to be more mature than the previous two. There is still plenty of almost-too-unbelievable family anecdotes and gross-out descriptions, but for reasons I can't fully explain, the essays seemed to move beyond just mugging for laughs.

Highly recommended.

Ok, cutting to the chase: yes it's worth it, and no, he's not losing his touch -- but like anyone else with a working brain, the particulars will change over time.

David Sedaris is still the intelligent person's acid humorist, but he is growing to be able to play in two keys at once. The sharp-tongued "what was she thinking??" materialist, and the thoughtful guy who understands the source of his inspiration (mainly family), and honestly gets what they were thinking after all. And get this! Admits it!

If you read The New Yorker and Esquire and some other Lit mags you may have seen much of this material before (hey, a guy's gotta eat between hardcover releases) but much is gained in the compilation. Seriously. I swear you will still suppress an evil snort at regular intervals!

I've been anticipating this book after buying the Live at Carnegie Hall CD, as he previewed some works from this new book.
Overall the stories still have the same tone and subject matter of his previous work. Some parts were laugh out loud funny, but not as much as Me Talk Pretty One Day. It's funnier at least for me to hear him read it out loud than it is to read the book. His voice lends a lot of expression into the pieces than just his words can. If you can get the books on tape or CD, I recommend that out of personal bias, but DS in any media is well worth it.

I just finished Mr. Sedaris' new book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I simply love reading his work. His writing is simple, detailed, hysterically funny, sad, moving, loving...the list goes on and on.

One minute you will be laughing out loud to the point where you have to put the book down for a minute (I know I did) and in the next you will undoubtedly feel his writing tugging at your heart (it definitely tugged at mine).

Mr. Sedaris moves from the absurd to the self-deprecating to the hysterically funny to the sad to the inspired to the poignant with such thoughtful nuance that it's difficult not to fall under his spell.

Highly recommended!