Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays

Icestar

I need the riddle!!!

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Barrel

While we wait,here is a riddle.Happy Valley has green glass doors,feet and foot but not tail.There are no wails,only screams.Chewbacca is there,but not Han Solo.C3-P0 isnt there either.Anna and Callie are there, but not Grace.(Who has to console herself with being in Oz.) Spottedleaf and Morningflower are there.And there is no imagination or soda.But there is Dr Pepper,Coke-a-cola and books.There is nothing new,yet nothing old.But there is between. Look inside this riddle to find the answer you need.What is the secret of Happy Valley?
(PLEASE ADD MORE EXAMPLES RATHER THAN BLURTING THE ANSWER OUT!)-Storystar,Grace in real life.

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TTT

To Storystar:
Riddles, butter, lullabies.
The next riddle is:
YY I M, YY I B. I C I M YY 4 U!
Take the first two words. (Really easy)
Good luck!

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Entertaining!

Hit under the tree for our son (young man).

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Too FUNNY!!!

This was the very first David Sedaris title that I read. I like it so much, I had to share it with all of my friends/family who have warped senses of humor. I purchased a dozen copies and gave them to everyone for the holidays. These tales may not be for everyone. But if you need a good laugh (and can appreciate dark humor) than this is the book for you! This book had me in tears of laughter! Thumbs up!!

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Vulgar

I have read several other books by David Sedaris and enjoyed them immensely. He is witty and insightful. I've found myself bursting out in laughter numerous time while reading his work. Barrel Fever, however, is disturbing. Not in the innovative and entertaining way, but more in the manner of insanely perverse. While the short stories that make up the book are clever and creative (as his work always is), much less thought seemed to be put into them. I got the feeling he was just really horny as he was writing and thus, that is why nearly all the shorts are comparable to gay men fantasies. If you want to read something that is risky, wrong, and outrageous, read Barrel Fever. David Sedaris is a genius and while I found the subject matter offensively vulgar, it is well written.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Interesting...

This book truly isn't what I thought it was going to be. It's a series of short stories and essays by David Sedaris. Some I thought were just strange, some I thoroughly enjoyed. My two favorites were a nice letter that a girl who committed suicide wrote to be read at her memorial service. She basically goes off on everyone that didn't treat her the way she felt she should be treated and tries to encourage everyone at the service to throw paper weights at those people.

The other essay I really enjoyed was about true experiences the author had being an Elf for Santa at Macy's in New York City. Have you ever seen A Christmas Story? There you go...elf... It was quite entertaining.

For those not familiar with David Sedaris, I would suggest Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. Both were excellent books.

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The Essays

The book consists of two parts--David Sedaris' short stories, and his essays. In my opinion, I prefer the essays. Although satirical, the short stories were a little bit dry in humor.

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Some what funny but too much cursing

I got this book on tape.I don't enjoy humor thats filled with crude jokes and cursing. I enjoyed the parts that were not crude. I think i would have liked it better if I had read it in book form. If you don't mind cursing and stuff- totally get it!

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Truly Outstanding

Forget about what the reviewers say, this is one funny book. Sedaris is dry witted and deadpan, and his take on the cultural leanings of America are true and funny. A great addition to your library

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Disturbing and hilarious

This was the first book I'd read by David Sedaris. Although his non fiction is hysterical it's great to see the bizarre short stories his imagination produces. His dark humor is still applied and some fans of his non-fiction may not enjoy it as much as his other titles. Some of the stories include a family christmas newsletter written by a wife whose been forced to take in a vietnamese hooker that her husband apparently assisted in concieving 18 years ago while he was in the service and a story about a cheap father who saves money by performing all medical procedures for his daughter himself which results in the eventual amputation of her legs. All Sedaris fans will be pleased to find the Santaland Diaries in the second part of the book which is from the stories told on This American Life regarding David's time spent working at Macy's as an elf and was the springboard for his successful career as an author.

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Cha-cha-cha

BARREL FEVER is the book that put David Sedaris on the map, along with the broadcast of the brilliant, hilarious 'SantaLand Diaries,' the autobiographical retelling of Sedaris' stint as an elf at Macy's that is a cornerstone of this collection of twisted stories. Many more treasures can be found here also. In 'Parade' Sedaris sets the absurd tone with a kiss-and-tell that reveals past relationships with the unlikeliest of lovers...a notorious former heavyweight champion and a Hollywood icon/NRA-spokesman among them. The satirical 'Glen's Homophobia Newsletter, Vol.3, No. 2,' a catty tirade spurred by misdirected affection, unrequited love, and paranoia, is a standout. Another is 'Season's Greeting's...' a brilliant account of the disintegration of a deliciously dysfunctional family upon the arrival of a half-Vietnamese ... child. I could go on and on...The inability of people to understand each other due to differences in culture, class, or education is a theme that recurs throughout these stories, as well as later stories in 'Naked' and 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'. I highly recommend all of these collections, but be forewarned - they are not for the timid. I have read and reread 'Barrel Fever' many times over the years, and it is still fresh. What really makes this book a must-read is Sedaris' original voice and pitch-perfect delivery. Audio versions of these stories are also worth exploring. You MUST also read the very funny and informative KATZENJAMMER by McCrae or the novel CHOKE by Palahniuk. Both great.

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Not Too Great

I love David Sedaris, but I thought that this book was too much shock and not enough awe. Divulges his fantasies in gory detail, many of which we could all live without. If you have any amount of sensitivity, skip this one and move straight to 'Me Talk Pretty One Day.'

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Hysterically funny!

Right up there with the best of Sedaris. The short stories are brilliant - clever plot devices and very witty dialogue make this a pleasure.

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Not as good...

I fell in love with David Sedaris after reading 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'! But this book was not nearly as funny. I am not giving up on him though, 'Holidays on Ice' is next!

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Laugh Out Loud Funny

All David's books are worth getting! This was the first one I read of his, and it's still my favorite. I've been buying it for friends.

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Funny

This is one of the funniest collections of stories and essays that I've ever read--a modern day Twain with flair. The story about loving Mike Tyson is one of the best things I've ever read; I showed it to my Creative Writing Students and they felt the same way. I have to go out and get the rest of his books now.

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Hysterical!

David Sedaris takes us to places that no one seems to want to talk about - yet everyone has experienced or thought about. His realistic look on the world is refreshing in a world of hypocrites. I have never laughed outloud while reading a book until Sedaris...

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Santa is an anagram for Satan!

Sedaris creates entirely real settings that suddenly become surreal. This is the funniest book I've ever read, and I give it to people at least twice a year. 'Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family' is ideal for cheering up a depressed soul at Christmas. Another Christmas story, 'The Santaland Diaries' is Sedaris's autobiographical trip into the world of a Macy's Santa elf. When discussing the irony of Santa and Satan being anagrams for each other, he writes the line, 'Don't forget to thank Satan for the Baby Alive he gave you last year.' Pure brilliance.

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crazy genius!!

you will find your are horribly laughing while in the same time you're crying sadly because sedaris' techniques... santaland diaries... hmhm hmmm, I tell about this book to my club members.. and they just crazy about this one!!

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