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Title: Holidays on Ice
ISBN: 0316035904
Author:
David Sedaris
Publicate Date: 2008-10-08
Publish: 2008-10-08
List Price: $16.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $8.00
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $6.49
Amazon Merchant Price: $11.55
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Sedaris is a funny guy
It is hard to pick one set of stars for a book that is full of different essays. I would give some of the essays 4 stars, others 3, and maybe even some 2s. If I look at the book as a whole, I liked it. There are a few stories that stick out -- like Santaland Diaries (about Sedaris' stint as an Elf at Macy's Santaland in NY) and Six to Eight Black Men (about how the Netherlands celebrates Christmas with "black peters"). All of the stories share Sedaris' wit, and some star people who probably belong on Santa's naughty list. I enjoyed the stories that were about Sedaris and his family more than the ones that were not.
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2: Holidays on Ice is Big Disappointment
I don't read a lot. But when I find an author that I like, I anxiously await every new work. (So, Lawrence Block, when are you going to write another Bernie Rhodenbarr mystery?) David Sedaris has been one of my favorites ever since I heard him on NPR many years ago. I have read every one of his books, and so when we went to San Lucia and didn't have a television and the only radio station was broadcasting in Spanish from Venezuela, our only entertainment was listening each night to a half hour of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" on a rudimentary tape player.
So I was very pleased when my daughter gave me Sedaris' new book Holidays on Ice for a Chanukah present. However I was put off by the statement just beneath the title on the cover: "with six new stories, including one never before published." Doesn't this imply that five "new" stories have been published? Then what is the meaning of new? I'll leave this problem for English majors to solve.
The first story "SantaLand Diaries" was in the old Sedaris mold - delightful, insightful, and funny. But starting with the next tale, the author leaves his world of possible reality and enters the fictional world. Not a wise move judging from the results.
"Season's Greetings to our Friends and Family!!!" is a takeoff of the infamous end-of-the-year letters that some families type up and send out to family members and anyone else they know. It had its moments, but the depressing ending was not among them.
"Front Row Center with Thaddeus Bristol" was a mean-spirited take on children's Christmas shows. Unfortunately it was not saved by any humor whatsoever.
"Based on a True Story" is so unbelievable and unfunny that I quit reading it after a couple of pages.
I plodded through "Christmas Means Giving" even though my previous comments could apply to this sordid tale.
I haven't read the rest yet, since I wanted to write down these comments while Sedaris' stories were fresh in my head. I hope that in the future, the very talented and very funny David Sedaris will revert to his embellished but true-sounding stories that only he can tell.
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3: Fast courteous service!!
This book was quickly shipped and error on my part handled courteously. A great seller. *****
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4: Very Funny
This book is very funny. I read it a few months ago and there was one story I was not very fond of, hence the 4 stars (instead of 5), but I totally recommend it for the other great stories.
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5: Bitter and violent but still funny
OK, I love David Sedaris on This American Life and loved his previous books about his family. This little book was more bitter and violent than I expected. "Santaland Diaries" is a classic and a great read, but after that there are stories of people dismembering themselves, family members treating each other cruelly, and a barnyard animal being led to slaughter. Not denying Sedaris' talents but I enjoy it more when he is turning is razor wit and observations to his hilarious, off-kilter, endearing family and less when he is creating stories that seem designed to shock us out of whatever little holiday cheer we have. Sorry David!
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