The Best of Me

This is not a new book, but rather a shameless money grab (not that I wouldn't do the same). However, these are not new essays, but rather his "favorite" essays from his old books.

I am only 20% through this latest tome by my favorite author, David Sedaris. I just finished "Us versus Them." I read it sitting on the back porch of my North Louisiana home. Now my neighbor thinks I am insane. Five times I had to stop reading to wipe the tears of hilarity from my eyes enough to see the next words. At least three times I had to sputter, choking, because I was laughing too hard for my breath to catch up. Toward the near end of this ONE STORY, I was calling aloud for someone to Please Call The Paramedics! To say I was Dying Laughing is a cliched understatement. I envision reading this to my hard-working, long-suffering husband, when he gets home from his 9-5 in diesel parts sales, to give him an ounce of joy in his day. But how can i? How can I recite these words, without ruining the punches, because I need my nebulizer to breathe????? I LOVE YOU, D.S. in the Most Non-"homophobic" way. LOL LOL LOL

There’s really no story the author can tell that isn’t amusing/droll or drolly amusing, so this compilation of some of his best work will have you laughing much of the time.

Thank goddess they let Sedaris himself choose his own best-of, because the choices are mostly not obvious. Like others have said: each essay is side-splittingly funny, absurd, poignant, sometimes even brilliant. I have survived (so far, at least) the election only because of this remarkable book, which conveys the author’s mad genius as a storyteller and writer. Highly recommended.

I have read all of his work and was concerned this would be a rehash of all I have read.It was a perfectly assembled mosaic of the stories that make you laugh out loud, causing others around you wonder whether you have lost your mind.

I adore this book simply because it was written by one of my favorite Authors. Sedaris has such a comfortable way of explaining the house we are all burning down in, AND makes it pleasant!Thank you M. Sedaris

Even though I think I've read most of these essays before I am still dying laughing reading this collection. Such a relief to be crying from laughter instead of real world angst!!Warning: Do not drink carbonated beverages while reading this book because the inevitable snorting of fluids from your nose will be too painful!

Love love his honesty. Makes me miss my family and appreciate my foibles and rejoice them all.All his books have brought me joy.

Sedaris' fiction in this lacks verve. I kept finding myself asking, "Why am I reading this?" Maybe I shouldn't have read the Introduction. It was an excuse for what was about to follow. I like the impossibly silliness when he writes about real people and events, but I could care less about his fictional people and their situations. They so obviously lack. The stories are silly to the point of frivolous stupidity. Why did I read this?

Delighted to get this as a present but disappointed it came with a swathe of card from the envelope stuck down the side. Doesn't stop me reading the book but ruins the pleasure of a pristine new book to read. More care needed with packaging!

I am looking forward to reading this.

I woke my wife up when this reading this book, as I was laughing so hard I started coughing...then choaking. No other book in the world has made me feel so, well, not weird? We should be worshiping this man...and maybe his whole family truthfully.

These collected short pieces are all either amusing or thought-provoking, and usually both, but the one involving European Saint Nicholas customs had me snorting out loud in a very inelegant way. Sedaris occasionally gets the bit firmly in his teeth and then you never know where he's going to wind up, which is delightful.