The first piece, SantaLand Diaries, is worth the price of the volume. It ranks among Sedaris’ best — self-deprecating, dry, and laugh-out-loud funny. The essay tells the story of Sedaris’ holiday stint as an Elf at Macy’s SantaLand. It’s a treasure of sharp characters and sharp observations, all delivered with trademark deappan aplomb.
Today was the official opening day of SantaLand and I worked as a Magic Window Elf… My job was to say, “Step on the Magic Star and look through the window, and you can see Santa!” I was at the Magic Window for 15 minutes before a man approached me and said, “You look so fucking stupid.”
I had to admit that he had a point. But still, I wanted to say that at least I get paid to look stupid, that he gives it away for free.
The opening of the next piece, Season’s Greetings to Our Friends and Family is a brilliant and knife-edged satire of the sort of Christmas newsletters that accompany holiday greeting cards. But it quickly turns dark, and although it maintains its sarcastic and satirical tone (which is fun to read), the story reveals a murder, which mars the volume’s tone of holiday cheer.
Then again, nobody promised that this book would provide lighthearted entertainment.
I recommend the book, because some of the pieces are must-reads. But I think this particular Sedaris collection would appeal more to fans of Vonnegut than to, say, fans of Dave Barry.
Patronize these links, man:
posted to area: Non-Fiction
updated: 2004-03-19 19:38:50
