Barrel Fever by David Sedaris

I never realized David Sedaris wrote fiction until finding this book in a box of cast-offs in my apartment hallway. Sedaris' first publication, this collection of stories and essays is enjoyable, but lacks the refined wit of his later work.

The stories are undoubtedly funny, often taking an unconventional form. One story is a suicide note to be delivered at the funeral, another is a holiday letter from a family who has experienced a bizarre tragedy, and one of my favourites - a homophobia newsletter from an oversensitive young man. A reader familiar with Sedaris' later work can almost feel him trying things out, learning how to approach comedic writing and adopting the intelligent deadpan he is famous for.

Similarly, the essays are not as polished as I'm use to, lacking strong conclusions and feeling more like anecdotes. A quick and fun read, but his later work is really when he starts to shine.