“Boys who spent their weekends making banana nut muffins did not, as a rule, excel in the art of hand-to-hand combat.” – David Sedaris, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

As a Canadian, when I first heard that David Sedaris writes funny, true-to-life essays that he sometimes reads on NPR, I pictured Stuart McLean, – a fellow Canadian – who wrote funny, true-to-life stories and essays that he read on the CBC. I picked up Sedaris’ book expecting heart-warming and sweet with a side of contemplative musing because that is what Stuart McLean used to write.

David Sedaris is not Stuart McLean. Maybe the naked Barbie torso on the cover should have been my first clue.

In fact, he is more like Stuart McLean’s outrageous younger brother who always manages to shock your aunt at Thanksgiving dinner. Sedaris is funny and smart and also muses at times, but instead of sweet, he is snarky – really snarky. His essays are honest (sometimes painfully so) and self-deprecating but reading the whole collection, you also get a strong sense of how Sedaris’ identity emerged against the backdrop of a somewhat unconventional family. The essays range from stories about his parents, to ones about his partner, to times in his twenties when he was trying to find himself as an artist. Sometimes I found myself shocked by his honesty but mostly they read like a really good story your friend would tell you that starts, this one time …

I’m not usually a big non-fiction reader but I think this collection does a great job of exploring all the wonderful, terrible, wacky and just plain hilarious stories that come with growing up in a large family. I especially loved how Sedaris wrote about his mother, who was strong and forthright. He admits that his family doesn’t exactly love being the focus of his essays most of the time, but he also pokes fun at himself and at times drops the sarcasm long enough for you to see the tender heart inside.

And he’s a grown man who’s not afraid to admit that when he is alone in his house at night, his biggest fear is a zombie apocalypse. Like in a very real way that keeps him from sleeping. And I can’t help but kind of love that.

Next up, I will be posting about June’s TBR. Until then, happy reading, everybody!