Calypso

从b站编辑渡边了解到这本书，up主的推荐原因是这本书还蛮有趣的。正好图书馆不用预约，于是在没有过多了解作者背景的情况下开始读这本书。叙事手法比较特别，没有特别明显的逻辑或时间顺序，更多的是以主题，讨论的题材分割，同一件事情可能会出现两次或以上，所以之后重复出现的时候给我一种，“啊，这件事情还可以这么解读！” 或者 “啊，原来还有这个因素在里面。” 的后知后觉，十分有趣。

可能是笑点不一样，读了一些评价都是“哈哈大笑”，而我更多的时候会是惊讶于原来作者的行动力和脑洞。

特别是关于他的tumor和最后I am still standing这一部分，要真的是我可能会在了解到规定限制后直接放弃，而不是愿意把自己的生命交给一个听众／读者，仅仅只为了把它喂给自己影响深刻的动物吧。 提到关于Trump当选和同性恋合法的片段也比较戳动我，算是从作者的角度了解了更多人对这两件事的看法。 另一个印象蛮深的点就是有关父亲吧。家人确实是比较容易让我共情，感觉随着自己慢慢长大，熟悉的人在慢慢变老，回国频率不算太低，但他们的变化依然明显。

Another great collection of stories from the author's life, with a special emphasis on stories involving his parents. If you enjoy Sedaris's observational humor, "Your English is So Good" is a highlight. Indeed, check out the audio book version to hear the author read it in front of a live audience.

Thank you, Matthew, for recommending this to me. I've always enjoyed David Sedaris, but for some reason, haven't read him in a very long time.

This was indeed a different Sedaris experience. As usual, there is something in the way he tells a story that mesmerizes me, keeps me glued, almost in trance like state. I found myself envying his Fitbit obsession a little bit (I'd read some of that before), marveling at his taste in clothes (I'm siding with Hugh), puzzled and amazed that he would let someone he just met perform surgery on him--and truly baffled and grossed out with the turtle feeding bit. Trust me, if you haven't read this, I'm not giving anything away; you'll never guess.

There is always an undercurrent of sadness in Sedaris's work, which he magically balances with humor. However, in this collection of essays, the humor is muted. Sure, there were some laugh out loud moments for me, but not as many--and the valleys were deeper.

David's frankness about some aspects of his family life is searing. He mentions his late sister Tiffany quite a bit in these essays. Tiffany took her own life. It must have been immensely hard for him to write about the relationship he had with her, and what must be a harsh regret. There is one thing I have in common with the author, and unfortunately, many others: I had a sibling who took his own life. It's not the same story at all, but still--the regret, the unfinished business, is all too familiar. David's chapter is "Now We Are Five." We all have a chapter title for that...it's complicated, forever more.

Sedaris can write about extremely personal topics without self-consciousness, which is a marvel. I found myself feeling a little worried about him and his relationship with Hugh. And clothes! I did google a brand he mentioned and--an intervention may be possible, but then, it's something he loves doing with his sisters Gretchen and Amy, so perhaps it's all good. Or rather, one can see some good in--enjoying some time with the sisters.