from Shei:

(I listened to Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls via Overdrive.)

He had me when I heard him sing “Away in a Manger” as an elf at Macy’s on NPR. He sounded so much like her it’s uncanny; I will not listen to this Christmas song the same way again.

Sedaris intrigued me, like many of us, with his innumerable stories about his offbeat family. Maybe it’s in his deadpan delivery; or perhaps the way he imitates his father Lou and his brother Paul with the same high-pitched Raleigh accent. I don’t know, but whatever it is, I like to listen to him read his essays rather than read them myself. In his newest collection, Let’s Explore Diabetes withOwls, Sedaris gets a little more experimental, sentimental and political. As expected, he shines an unflinching light on his childhood’s embarrassing and unsavory moments. His father continues to play a force in this series as a pushy and loving parent. Sedaris also reveals a bit more of his idiosyncratic OCDness and how his boyfriend and life partner Hugh entered his life. Two of my favorite chapters include a tiny rant on the colorful people he is forced to interact with in airports and the colonoscopy he had after much insistence from his dad.

I can’t imagine a better way to enjoy the cold front doldrums than to sit and listen to David Sedaris wax realistic about the painful, funny ‘in-betweens’ of life. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. As with any book of essays/short stories some were better than others, but it was a very enjoyable read. It made me laugh out loud. ( )

David Sedaris normalizes my childhood. ( )

Sedaris's offering here of a variety of biographical essays (and a handful of fictional short stories at the end) covers a wide breadth of topics from childhood memories to exchanging gifts with his husband to visiting China for the first time to U.S. political elections as seen from abroad.

In the past, I have found Sedaris's works to be laugh-out-loud funny. It's been several years since I've read one of his books, so I don't know if my humor has changed or his did, but I didn't find this one to be all that funny. I chuckled a few times here and there, but overall I found the content lacking in comedy.

For me, the strongest pieces in this collection were the wry observations of mundane things (such as waiting on a line for coffee or picking up litter from the side of the road) rather than the more personal anecdotes -- and certainly far more than the fictional stories.

The political/social issues satire was too like the dangerous thinking of the people he's trying to parody to actually be funny, his formerly eccentric-seeming parents came across as down-right abusive here, and his often non-PC look at the world felt a little more like racism and ableism here rather than simply pushing the envelope. Similarly, I did not recall his writing style as being quite so crass and morbid in the past -- but perhaps that is a fault of my own memory.

That all being said, he is still a good reader/narrator, which is a great thing to have in an audiobook format. The essays/stories are a mix of in-the-studio readings and live ones. There was also the pleasant surprise of musical interludes (with music by Andrew Bird nonetheless!) between some essays. Still, I think this is the first time I read a book by David Sedaris where I was happy to have it end. ( )

Laugh out loud short pieces mixing travelogues with conversations and experiences, Very funny, but could be offensive to some, including a description of his visit to China, portraying it as a very unhygienic place. Below are my notes.
French dentist, New York child discipline, sometimes dark humour "I forgot my father isn't dead yet", swimming, Greek grandmother, London telesales, Hawaii sea turtle (memories of collecting animal specimens as a child), tongue-in-cheek Jesus Christ is King, Tokyo, China, Germany, leaning languages, Australia kookaburra, attempted abduction of his sister Gretchen in America, "Just A Quick Email" fictional tongue in cheek thanks for the wedding gift of pizza vouchers."Guy Walks into a Bar Car" no smoking on trains, nuts on a wall - walnuts, nuts on your chest - chestnuts, nuts on your chin - a dick in your mouth, fried egg sandwich walks into a bar - we don't serve food here, leaper said to the prostitute - keep the tip.
What was it sounded like English played backward, Dutch?
Author Author: enjoying book signings/readings, giving his audience free condoms, eliminating picture-taking
Obama!!!!! American politics from European perspective. political campaigns in France no bumper stickers, no pin, considered rude to ask people who they voted for.
Standing By: air flight bottled water goes wrinkly as do your insides. People scorning others in airport queues. Flight attendant garbage bag in hand double meaning saying your trash/you're trash.
Understanding Understanding Owls: collection of owl objects, taxidermy shop in London. Waitrose grocery store described as "a cut above", Tesco decidedly less upscale.
#2 to Go: Beijing food "more real" than Chinese food in USA, meaning I could dislike it more authentically. Phlegm spitting, human faeces ion the street (compared to Japanese rinsing dog's urine away with bottled water). Walmart in China, mustard coloured smoke; in France you can die waiting to pay for your meal - in china you offer to pay the come at you immediately to catch you before you get sick.
Health care freedoms..: protest marches against Obama
Now Hiring Friendly People: Hotel in New Hampshire, getting impatient in a coffee queue with gossiping customers chatting to staff.
Rubbish: buying a home in Sussex, collecting rubbish left by motorists. How his Greek grandmother used to discard rubbish from cars.
Day in , Day Out: keeping a diary since 1977 compulsive nature.
Mind the Gap: Jumper means sweater in England. School trip to UK smoking Mayfairs you can't get in the states. Walkers prawn cocktail crisps you can't get in the states. Loo means bathroom in England. in hospital (eng) in a hospital (USA). college (eng) = high school (USA). University (eng) = college USA.
A cold case: passport stolen with Indefinite Leave to Remain sticker (Green card in USA) qualified as a writer prove book had been published. border agents asked if I wrote mysteries no other genre considered. renewal every few years involved queueing in Croydon, and reading a manual called Life in the UK. passport returned by unknown good Samaritan.
The Happy Place: Amsterdam colonoscopy
Dog Days: poem about dog breeds. ( )