Laughs

While on a short trip this weekend, I was able to finish reading When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, one of my absolute favorite writers. He's hilarious, and this book is full of laughs indeed. I had read a lot of it on the train going to and from class last week, and have decided that I shouldn't read Sedaris in public, as I have to try really really hard to not laugh out loud, which I almost did about five times in five minutes while on the train. What I love about him is that his writing is so real and frank; he says what a lot of us are probably thinking, but aren't bold enough to say, or things that we've never acutally thought to say but make perfect sense. One of my favorites from Flames: "Shit is the tofu of cursing..." as the speaker can fit it into whatever context is appropriate. (Think about that...it's totally true.) I love his sense of humor and how he uses it to tell stories about his family, the places he's lived, and random, everyday occurances. Then he gets all self-critical and I say to myself, "Hey, I do that too", and think again, for probably the 100th time, about writing my own little personal essays, though mine will not be nearly as funny or witty or satirical as I would hope. : ) I've got to read the rest of his books (I did read Me Talk Pretty One Day a while ago and thought it was just as hysterical), listen to more This American Life, to which he often contributes, and continue to pick up issues of The New Yorker simply because one of his essays is featured. He was in Chicago last spring and I really regret not going to see him. Next time, I will.