Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Book Review: Good Short Story Collection
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the first book I've read by David Sedaris, and I am stupid for that. He is hilarious. This collection of short stories detail small moments in his life, ranging from childhood to present, all engaging and funny. Watch as his redneck brother applies bacon to his face (the grease holds it on there) in order to fake having huge sideburns shortly before his wedding. Read as his mother gives a dead-on but sometimes brutal running commentary on David's early 20's apartment life, and his dad drags 11 year old David to the most popular guy in school's house to demand payment on dental work done after the popular guy threw rocks at David and messed up his teeth. David always feels like he doesn't belong, doesn't feel comfortable, doesn't know what to say, but really he does all three. Witty, secretly insightful, and amazingly able to zing you with tiny, short sentences and segments that add up to a greater whole.Book Review: Hilarious.
Summary: 5 Stars
Sedaris is at his best in this book. More semi-autobiographical tales with his trademark dry humor will leave you wanting more. A good book for someone who doesn't have time to read long stories, the chapters are relatively short. As I am in several classes where I have to read over 100 pages a day, this is kind of like a snack for me, something that's not British and from the 1800s to enjoy.Book Review: Dress Your Family in Ridicule and Exposure
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm not saying I blame him for doing it, because I don't, but I do feel bad for his poor family. In this book David Sedaris takes them through the ringer and the byproduct is a collection of hilarious, insightful, fascinating stories that I could recommend to anyone. What better source material than our families do any of us have, and he knows this better than anyone as nearly everyone of the stories has them in the starring role. Early on the tone is light as his childhood basks in something of a golden glow, he doesn't get along with his parents, per se, but of course they are right and he is wrong because they are the parent and he is the kid. However, as the book progresses and we dig deeper into his life I was jarred by the dark turns the tales began to take. His disagreements with his parents suddenly have a nasty edge to them. His mom might mean well, but she is judgmental and just a tool of his dad. His dad, on the other hand, is outright aggressive, spitting on everything about him; his homosexuality, his place of residence, his lifestyle choices in general. And while his dad's anti-gay rants make him look bad, Sedaris is also exposing himself to us through them. This is what his dad truly thinks and here is an example of his family not approving of him.
My two favorite stories were "Us and Them" and "Six to Eight Black Men." "Us and Them" is the opener and involves his crazy neighbors who, get this, don't have a TV. The wit in the story was making me envious, and the fact that I didn't see my life in the same humorous light was making me feel silly. "Six to Eight Black Men" is Sedaris getting back in touch with his roots as he tells a Christmas story with some cultural misunderstandings thrown in for good measure. A lot of the jokes seemed somewhat obvious but I didn't mind, I just went along for the ride. I also liked how he doesn't shy away from racial humor here. Racial jokes have survived the test of time because racial jokes are funny, and for Sedaris to turn his back on a funny joke would be doing a disservice to his readers.
As I read through I started to notice how much control he had over each story structure and the prose within. The tone he takes may be conversational, but the way the exposition is laid down perfectly and the foreshadowing boomerangs back around makes you realize that they have all been well thought out. I whipped through the entire book in just a few days which says two things to me: it is kind of fluffy and it is a ton of fun. To Sedaris the world doesn't really reach much further than his domestic situation at any given point so don't look for any real social or political humor. And to me that says that he at least content with his life, sure he lives in Paris for some reason, but good for him. The book is more of the same from Sedaris, but I think you will agree that that is a good thing. My only concern now is what happens when he inevitably runs out of new stories to tell? How many more occurrences from his childhood can there be left that he can take and construct comic gold out of? Oh well, for now enjoy this book which I highly recommend. ***3/4
Book Review: Living in Sedaris' Clothes
Summary: 4 Stars
Another winner by David Sedaris. I am so enjoying getting to know this writer. In this book, we learn a bit more about his family. His mother sounds like an absolutely fabulous woman, someone I probably would have gotten along with very well. (In the hilarious "Let it Snow" essay, she efficiently kicks the children out of her house during a snow day, desperate for some peace and quiet. And in "The Girl Next Door," she casually mocks her son's correction of her own Chinese menu interpretations. "Oh, he speaks Chinese now! Tell me, Charlie Chan, what's the word for six straight hours of vomiting and diarrhea?") The details of his siblings' lives are also recounted, and Sedaris guiltily acknowledges his own vulture-like tendencies to turn private family moments into public reading material. Funny, funny, funny.Book Review: A definite re-read
Summary: 5 Stars
I fell in love with this book just a couple of pages in, which is usually a good sign. I really identify with Sedaris' style of writing in general, so I found this an incredibly easy-read. There are several parts where you will snicker out loud, and then maybe later you'll go back and re-read those spots just to giggle again.
I keep this book out for a quick pick-me-up whenever the mood suits me.