I was a late comer to the wonders of David Sedaris. I had
heard of him and noticed he was appearing more and more frequently on TV chat
shows and radio programmes but knew little of his work. I had pigeon-holed him
as yet another US comedian/humourist not really worth my time. By the time I
actually picked up and read one of his books (some time in 2017) he had two
decades of published writing under his belt. Suddenly I knew what all the fuss
was about and became a devoted fan. Now I find myself searching online for news
of more material and his media appearances. I recently finished “Theft by
Finding” his edited diaries that date back to the late 1970s..what a ride he’s
had getting to the top.
“Calypso” probably isn’t a good starting point for a reader
new to Sedaris. The book is more gentle, contemplative and melancholy than
earlier works. The gags are still there along with a few surprises but I only
found myself laughing out loud in a couple of places. This volume zooms in very
close to his family, their summer beach house and his frequent thoughts of
mortality. Warm and full of humanity but don’t pick this up expecting ‘gag-a-minute’
material, it’s a different beast.
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