Calypso
'Unquestionably the king of comic writing' Guardian
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
'Sedaris is the premier observer of our world and its weirdnesses'
ADAM KAY
'Funnier and more heartbreaking than pretty much anything out there'
HADLEY FREEMAN, GUARDIAN
'The brilliance of David Sedaris' writing is that his very essence, his aura, seeps through the pages of his books like an intoxication cloud'
ALAN CUMMING, NEW YORK TIMES
'The funniest writer alive today'
JONATHAN ROSS
'An incredibly funny and sometimes moving meditation on love, death and family life'
SUNDAY TIMES
When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realisation: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Beloved misanthrope David Sedaris is back with this astute, endlessly entertaining essay collection, in which he dexterously pokes fun at middle age, exercise trackers and American politics while paying homage to his dead relatives, aging father and cadre of larger-than-life siblings. Sedaris’ genius is his ability to be both bitingly clever and disarmingly self-deprecating as he delivers his off-kilter takes on the tragicomedy that is modern life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Humorist Sedaris (Theft by Finding) collects 21 essays largely about family bonds and getting older in this hilarious yet tender volume. Facing middle age, the author purchased a beach house, which he named Sea Section, in his childhood state of North Carolina. The beach abode serves not only its intended purpose as a perfect location for family gatherings, but also ends up being a venue for arguments, jokes, and encountering local wildlife (in particular, a snapping turtle to whom Sedaris joked he'd feed a benign fatty tumor Sedaris had formed). Sedaris's mother died of cancer in 1991 at the age of 62, but his conservative, 92-year-old father (with whom he has a difficult relationship), three sisters (a fourth committed suicide), and younger brother are frequent visitors and fodder for Sedaris's perceptive and imaginative sense of humor; no subject seems too sacred for his wit, including his sister's suicide ("I've always liked to think that before killing myself I'd take the time to really mess with people") and the physical attractiveness of Jesus. He also riffs on topics ranging from the inane conversations people have at shops, airports, and hotels ("You're a long way from home, aren't you?" one bellman comments) to the nasty expletives drivers scream from cars. Throughout, Sedaris reveals a deep loyalty to family, with loving reminiscences of his mother, a palpable wish to be closer to his father, and a nostalgic devotion to his siblings and their shared memories. The author's fans and newcomers alike will be richly rewarded by this sidesplitting collection.