Well, I’ve been seeing the name of David Sedaris mentioned a lot lately, and seen ads for his books all over the place, so I was quite pleased when Helena decided to buy one of his books on Kindle, in English even so we can both read it. I do admire her, I have never completed anything in Czech that wasn’t a children’s book, and don’t imagine I ever will as I’ve been here over 15 years and I don’t think my Czech has improved much over the last 10 years of that span.
I haven’t got to the bit about the owls yet
Also, it’s good that she occasionally purchases books because I am such a cheapskate that I only download whatever is free. There’s plenty available, but it excludes anybody who’s currently popular.
So, I am reading “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls.” So far, I give it a 7, maybe a 7+. He’s an essayist, like Dave Barry, Bill Bryson, or Robert Fulghum.
I had heard him described as funny, though. He can be, sporadically, but he’s no Dave Barry in that regard. I think he might have a bit more depth than my fellow Des Moinesian Bill Bryson, and certainly more than shmaltzy old Robert Fulghum, who basically had one great title. Not one great book, although it sold a lot of copies, but ‘Everything I Know I Learned in Kindergarten’ (I think that was it) is a great piece of philosophy, and more memorable than the book itself.
Sedaris has his moments of brilliance, especially when he’s not trying to be funny. If you’re interested in straightforward stories about life, he’s your guy. If you’re looking for the big yucks, or a brilliant flash of enlightenment, give him a pass.
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