When You Are Engulfed in Flames - Paperback

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

David Sedaris's sixth essay collection showcases his signature ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art. This masterpiece of comic writing features 22 essays that proceed from bizarre daily conundrums to deeply resonant human truths.

What's Inside This Collection

The essays range from attempting to make coffee when the water is shut off—leading to considerations of using flower vase water—to uncomfortable memories of buying drugs in a mobile home in rural North Carolina. Sedaris navigates absurd situations like having a lozenge fall from your mouth into a fellow passenger's lap on a plane, or armoring windows with LP covers to protect against neurotic songbirds.

The collection culminates in a brilliant account of Sedaris's venture to Tokyo specifically to quit smoking, providing both humor and insight into personal transformation.

Critical Acclaim

"Older, wiser, smarter and meaner, Sedaris...defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." —Kirkus Reviews

"This latest collection proves that not only does Sedaris still have it, but he's also getting better....Sedaris's best stuff will still—after all this time—move, surprise, and entertain." —Booklist