When You Are Ungulfed In Flames by David Sedaris

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whenever I need lighten up my reading I usually crack open a Sedaris book. I read a lot of non-fiction and history so it tends to be serious, dry and sometimes gruesome. Although I do enjoy reading them it seems my mind needs a something bring it back to center and most recently it was this book.

The book is a collection of David Sedaris’s self-depreciating humorous look at his own life and observations. His stories can range from his encounters with a cantankerous elderly woman neighbor (That’s Amore), coughing a lozenge onto the lap of an irritable woman he had been feuding with on an airline (Solution to Saturday’s Puzzle) and ending with his battle to quit smoking in Japan (The Smoking Section).

David’s writing brand of humor can be hard to nail down. He is rarely sidesplitting funny though there are some moments. Much of it is in the form of his descriptions of not only himself but of how he sees others. His humor does have a self-depreciating quality but he often balances it at times by being unapologetic about his faults which he seems to say this is the way I am so deal with it.

Perhaps my favorite story is the longest called, The Smoking Section, at the end of the book is about him quitting smoking which starts off in France and ends up in Japan. One part I find funny though I think is not necessarily written but of the premise that he has to spend months in Japan to quit smoking like this is a luxury everyone can afford. While in Japan he is also taking a class to learn to speak Japanese which also ties into an earlier story in the book about him learning French. One of the few laugh out loud moments were when his sister was trying to help him learn Japanese:

It was even worse when Amy quizzed me,
“How do you ask someone for a cigarette?”
“I don’t know.”
“How do you say, “I tried to quit, but it’s not working’?”
“I have no idea.”
“Say ‘I’ll give you a blow job if you give me a cigarette.’”
“Just stick to the index cards.”
“Say ‘Goodness, how fat I’ve become! Can you believe how much weight I’ve gained since I quit smoking’?”
“Actually,” I said, I think I’ll just do this on my own.”

The book has David’s trademark self-depreciating humor and at times has some heartwarming moments. The stories are on the lighter side but they are not sugar sweet like a Hallmark Christmas movie either. Like I said they are nice break in between the more serious books I read and perhaps others might find it so too. So if you’re looking for a break in life from more serious stuff, and who doesn’t these days, I’d recommend this book.


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