Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, by David Sedaris

I finished reading Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim a couple nights ago, but refrained from posting anything about it.

I think that's the sign of a good, though-provoking book. It remained in my head for the past couple days, sort of percolating. Simmering in the back, while I began reading The History of Love: A Novel, which is taking me forever to get through. ForEVER, for reasons I will explain once I've actually read the whole thing (... in a year).

Back to David Sedaris! I really love Me Talk Pretty One Day. It was funny, irreverent, hopeful, sweet, and had this pure voice. Not that it was virginal (by any means), but that it held one true note, and I got the theme of it immediately. Maybe I just like being spoon-fed the message, but Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim was a harder read for me.

It felt a little jagged and disjointed. Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book. But after Me Talk Pretty One Day, I felt deflated. The few essays in which Sedaris discusses Hugh, his long-time boyfriend, made me glad I was single. Isn't that sad??

Sedaris didn't give me the hope and the wistfulness that I got after Me Talk Pretty One Day. It's true, it's not like all books by one author are the same. And perhaps he's over his hopeful phase. But I read the book anticipating that I would be smiling and laughing, and it didn't happen.

I think it was a case of mistaken expectations, and that's my fault.

I hope to read this book again someday, when I'm in a better place and not depending on authors to lift my spirits. Then, perhaps, I'll fully enjoy it.