Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Book Review - The Best of Me; David Sedaris - (My Last Book of 2020)

 

                                                 The Best of Me: Essays; David Sedaris

                                                       Little Brown & Company - 2020

David Sedaris has been entertaining readers for some 25 years. His stories, sometimes unbelievable stories, are of the bizarre things and encounters of everyday lives.  It is impossible to listen to one of his audio books without bursting out laughing. I figured what better way to ring out 2020 but with some humor.

I think I've read most of his (14) books over the years. In this collection of essays, many were from previous books yet, they still seemed fresh and new to me as I read most of his books years earlier.  His writing is very snarky and not for everyone but, I enjoy his writing as well as his on stage performances.  This collection features the following essays (you can see from some of the titles, they are sure to be funny):

  • Card Wired
  • The Ship Shape
  • Six to Eight Black Men
  • The Under Study
  • The Motherless Bear
  • Loggerheads
  • A Guy Walks into a Bar Car
  • Now We are Five
  • Leviathan
  • The Spirit World
If you haven't tried David Sedaris previously, he reads all of his own material (thank goodness). My absolute favorite book is Calypso, a memoir, which was a series of NF essays about his life and family. I thought it was just fantastic and funny as well.

RATING - 4/5 stars

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like fun, we like bizarre sometimes!

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  2. The only thing I've read of his is the memoir you mention. The audiobooks sound like fun, so maybe I should give one of those a try.

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    1. I wouldn't mind listening to Calypso a second time. The story about his father dying and the Loggerhead turtles still sticks with me.

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  3. Leave em laughing, right? My last book of 2020, if I finish it by tomorrow, is The Searcher by Tana French.

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    1. I don't expect that The Searcher will "leave you laughing:).

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  4. I've read a couple Sadaris books and seen him speak in person once. He is funny and has such an interesting take on life.

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    1. Yes, he's performed on college campuses in New England over the years.

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  5. Great way to end the year. I do enjoy his books so much and have had the opportunity to see him at a couple of reading events. Even got my copy of Naked signed by him. I do want to read this one but think I probably should read Calypso first.

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  6. I think the best way to enjoy his writing is through audio books that feature him as the narrator. Although my daughter is currently reading The Best of Me - actually reading it - and enjoying the experience greatly. I think my favorite is Calypso.

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    1. Dorothy, the story about his father facing death from Calypso and mentioned in this collection (in part it seemed) really stuck with me.

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  7. Love his books - especially in audio. Calypso was great (one of my kids gave it to me for Christmas in 2019).

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  8. His books are better on audio and I have this one waiting in my audible library... looking forwrad to it!

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