When I read the terms 'sidesplitting', 'laugh-out-loud' and 'funny' on the back of a book, one usually expects said tome to be that way. I was sorely led astray by the spin doctors on this one.
David Sedaris' memoir of his family, friends and travels have funny moments, it's true, but not near the level I was led to believe. If I am to believe he and his...
more When I read the terms 'sidesplitting', 'laugh-out-loud' and 'funny' on the back of a book, one usually expects said tome to be that way. I was sorely led astray by the spin doctors on this one.
David Sedaris' memoir of his family, friends and travels have funny moments, it's true, but not near the level I was led to believe. If I am to believe he and his family actually acted the way they did, I would not be comfortable in that neighborhood.
This is not the author's fault. I blame the people who were told to sell this tome as a comic piece when there's so much more than that.
There's honest humor and then there's forced jokes. It's hard to tell, but it has the scent of a lot of forced jokes and not all of them hit the mark.
It's no wonder he is on the receiving end of much of the abuse he details on his travels. Having passed through the phase where one believes the world is a personal oyster ripe for the shucking, the disappointment of reality seems strangely justified in his case. I can clearly see myself in role of the elder Mr. Sedaris, wondering what the hell this kid is wanting out of life and why he hasn't found it yet.
If there is anything good to recommend here, 'Naked' should stand as a watermark for future prospective memoir authors to guage their own lives against his and judge whether they would hold up to the same standards. I can hear many saying aloud 'It could have been worse'.
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