Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

I have been a fan of the works of David Sedaris for a while so I looked forward to getting the audiobook of Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. However, I was disappointed. The stories are not up to his usual quality. To say that the tone is dark does not grasp the full quality. Some of the stories amount to little more than extended puns, a build up to a corny joke. Most of the characters, though they are animals, have no redeeming qualities--misanthropic might be the word.

The last story, "The Grieving Owl", about an owl who befriends a hippopotamus, has one of the best buildups and endings, despite being dark and dirty. It ends, "...this trio of newfound friends, so far-fetched we simply had to be true." It brings a small note of tenderness to an otherwise bitter story. The rest of the stories leave a bitter or sarcastic feeling. That could be forgiven if they were funny, but Sedaris goes for the cheap laugh, the potty humor.

This is definitely not up to Sedaris's other works. His most touching stories have the note of truth and human compassion. These stories are primarily scatalogical and cheap. It's too bad, because I thought they had the potential for more. C-

Holidays on Ice

Holidays on Ice is a short collection of humor by David Sedaris, focusing on funny things about the holidays. The first piece is "The Santa Land Diaries", an account of his season working as a department store elf. The antics of his fellow elves are only exceeded by the Santas and the parents. This was a pretty funny essay that turns the holidays upside down.

The rest of the stories are mixed. The piece "Seasons Greetings to our Family and Friends" is dark and full of spite but not much real humor. On the other hand, "Dinah, the Christmas Whore" is a funny bit about the year his sister brought home a prostitute friend during the holiday season. The piece "Six to Eight Black Men" is a classic commentary on cultural differences about the holidays.

Overall I'd say this is pretty standard Sedaris humor, if not his best. It is good for a laugh during the holidays, or even in the middle of summer. B