Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays

In David Sedaris’s world, no one is safe and no cow is sacred. A manic cross between Mark Leyner, Fran Lebowitz, and the National Enquirer, Sedaris’s collection of essays is a rollicking tour through the national Zeitgeist: a do-it-yourself suburban dad saves money by performing home surgery; a man who is loved too much flees the heavyweight champion of the world; a teenage suicide tries to incite a lynch mob at her funeral; a bitter Santa abuses the elves.

David Sedaris made his debut on NPR’s Morning Edition with “SantaLand Diaries”, recounting his strange-but-true experiences as an elf at Macy’s, and soon became one of the show’s most popular commentators. With a perfect eye and a voice infused with as much empathy as wit, Sedaris writes stories and essays that target the soulful ridiculousness of our behavior. Barrel Fever is like a blind date with modern life, and anything can happen.

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 greeting to our friends and family!!! —
Jamboree —
After Malison —
Barrel fever —
Diary of a smoker —
Giantess —
The curly kind —
SantaLand diaries