What I liked:
There was a sense of humor in this book. It wasn't about finding yourself after tragedy or having extraneous circumstances affect your view on life; it was about a normal guy who did some stupid things because he wasn't a genius and he wasn't going to achieve much in his lifetime. I liked that he was a strange and exciting character, dealing with his problems because he was gay, he had a speech impediment, he did drugs, he disappointed his father, and he lived in France without a basic knowledge of the language. He did a lot of stupid things, his life a stream flowing over an endless amount of rough rocks of bad decisions that pointed skyward. He failed at everything, he excelled at nothing, and he was mediocre at even the basic acts needed to live a mediocre life. But he lived a thousand lives. In every chapter something new and exciting was happening. On one page he was a professor of writing and the next had him picking up people's processions as a mover. He was an office assistant and an abstract artist, an old American in France and a small boy in Raleigh. He had stories to tell, interesting people he's met, a life full of the places he'd been. It was interesting to live all those lives with him, even if he didn't appreciate the variety as much as I did.
I also like the writing, simple and descriptive. It was never too much but I understood what Sedaris was trying to get across. The characters were painted with brilliant colors of words on the canvas of paper, and, no matter how sappy and metaphorical that sounds, it is true. They each were bursting with personality.
What I didn't like:
The chronological order of the book. It was skippy, a made up word that means there were parts missing. None of his stories really had a conclusion. They just ended and a new one took their place. The ending of the book wasn't even an ending. It was just about his dad eating rotten food. I'm sure there is probably some point, some sense, as to why Sedaris used this as his last story, but it was too abstract for me to understand. His stories were great but they jumped on the timeline and his life had changed so much between chapters that I could hardly understand how this was just one guy. Age was an issue too. I never really understood how old he was through this story. In the beginning he is 7 and in the end it sounds like he is 57. I don't know, I didn't understand, but I wish I at least knew who the man was before I read the chapter. I figured it out - whether he was young or not - while reading, but it was just another difficulty I had to get over.
Overall:
Some books are fiction and some books are not, but this book almost seemed fiction when it wasn't. It was enjoyable even if it was about real life, which is quite the feat. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a little variety in what they read, because I have honestly never seen anything like this before.
Honorable Mention of the Week: Halloween Costume Makers
I want to give a shout out to all the creative people who make their own costumes. I have for the past 4 years and I know it's difficult to be creative and thrifty at the same time. The constant nagging of the part of your brain that's repeating 'how can you make it better? Is it the right color? Is a better product at Micheal's?' It's a difficult process that requires discipline and a full pocketbook. It takes time and sacrifice, but the results - the creative liberty - is worth every bucket of blood, sweat, and tears. So thank you, creative minds. And bravo for your work.
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