This is David Sedaris’ first book. If you like his collections of essays, you won’t necessarily enjoy this. The first story, Parade, is about all the male celebrities the narrator has slept with. Glen’s Homophobia Newsletter Vol. 3, No. 2 is just that, and involves Glen bitterly recounting unrequited love with a cashier. Giantess is about Sedaris trying to publish some fetish erotica. Definitely not the usual ex-pat-from-a-crazy-family stories he’s so widely known for.

If you pick this up expecting it to be like his more popular books, you’re going to be disappointed. The stories are dark, which most people can’t stand because they see Sedaris as a humorist. However, if you look at how dark his humor is, you’ll see that what’s going on in Barrel Fever isn’t much different from his usual style.

(This book includes the short stories Parade, Music for Lovers, The Last You’ll Hear from Me, My Manuscript, Firestone, We Get Along, Glen’s Homophobia Newsletter Vol. 3, No. 2, Don’s Story, Season’s Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!, Jamboree, After Malison, Barrel Fever. It also includes the following essays: Diary of a Smoker, Giantess, The Curly Kind, SantaLand Diaries.)

it’s, well, different.

I adored ‘Naked’, and I am now giggling my way through Barrel Fever. It’s set up as a series of vignettes… they’re all hilarious and ridiculously tongue-in-cheek and dripping with his excitingly smart/accessible wit. I can read Sedaris late at night when my brain can’t handle Eco’s erudition (embarrassed), but still feel as though I’m reading something intelligent and lovely.