When You Are Engulfed In Flames

Another one down.

I just completed the newest novel by David Sedaris called "When You Are Engulfed In Flames."
I must say that although at times it is incredibly funny and has some killer one liners, it read as familiar as his last release. And the one before that, and before that, and...well, you get the picture.

Always the cynic, Sedaris unleashes another round of self deprecating passages on his almost unbelievable life story (he claims in a recent interview that its 97% true.) This novel although good at times is not "Great" and is far from the superlative work in Sedaris' collection. True to typical Sedaris, the flow of the book has absolutely no continuity and each chapter reads out as another life lesson (or lack thereof) as he battles with being a middle aged man. With focal points on his family and a cast of characters that riddle his existence, the novel doesn't really give you much insight as to who he actually is. I mean, I guess I can read between the lines and figure it out for myself, but the secondary figures in the book seem much more interesting at times than Sedaris himself.

There is one standout chapter that I would consider revisiting just for the laughs. In "That's Amore" he befriends a haggard old Italian lady (Helen) who without doubt hates the very existence of anyone that is not her. Always the one upper and trumping any accomplishment outside of her own, she berates every and all neighbouring tenants in their New York apartment building with some of the best one liners the book has to offer. She even hands a beat down to a mildly handicapped 14 year old boy because she thought he was stealing a pen from her. Her defense: "Well you know those Portuguese."

In closing, good- yes. Great - no.
If you want to read great Sedaris pick up some of his other books first.