'Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002' by David Sedaris is a collection of diary entries spanning over two decades, showcasing the author's growth from an unknown individual to a successful humorist. The book provides a raw and candid look into Sedaris' daily life, struggles with drugs and alcohol, relationships with family and friends, and his journey towards literary success. Through a mix of humor, wit, and honesty, Sedaris offers readers a glimpse into his observations on the world around him, making even the mundane events seem unusual and funny.
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Triggers may include discussions of addiction, depression, family dysfunction, and instances of casual racism or homophobia.
From The Publisher:
One of the most anticipated books of 2017: Boston Globe, New York Times Book Review, New York's "Vulture", The Week, Bustle, BookRiot
An NPR Best Book of 2017
An AV Club Favorite Book of 2017
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017
A Goodreads Choice Awards nominee
David Sedaris tells all in a book that is, literally, a lifetime in the making.
For forty years, David Sedaris has kept a diary in which he records everything that captures his attention-overheard comments, salacious gossip, soap opera plot twists, secrets confided by total strangers. These observations are the source code for his finest work, and through them he has honed his cunning, surprising sentences.
Now, Sedaris shares his private writings with the world. Theft by Finding, the first of two volumes, is the story of how a drug-abusing dropout with a weakness for the International House of Pancakes and a chronic inability to hold down a real job became one of the funniest people on the planet.
Written with a sharp eye and ear for the bizarre, the beautiful, and the uncomfortable, and with a generosity of spirit that even a misanthropic sense of humor can't fully disguise, Theft By Finding proves that Sedaris is one of our great modern observers. It's a potent reminder that when you're as perceptive and curious as Sedaris, there's no such thing as a boring day .
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2 comment(s)
reading the diaries of one of the smartest and funniest writers i know of is just so fun
especially since sedaris has done so much radio work, and i can put his voice to his own thoughts
this book really highlights how off-kilter his humor is, how sometimes it really is a step too far
his introduction says this is a book to dip in and out of, but i read it straight through except for the spider adventures at the end of the book
just.....not okay
hugh has a lot of patience
even better is his description of his famous sister, amy's, antics as a comedian and actress
"i won't say anything until he pays me for that abortion he made me get!"
I picked this up out of curiosity without having read Sedaris before. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down, and read the whole thing in two days. I found his views on the world around him similar to my own, so I could relate to many of the awkward, funny, and depressing situations Sedaris finds himself in. If you like reading literary diaries as I do, you may find this one very entertaining. It's funnier and more human than Warhol's diaries. I feel like I know who Sedaris is now, but because there are often many days between diary entries, I sensed that there was a lot going on in his life (like becoming a best-selling author) that I still don't know much about. I know enough now to want to read more of his work, and now regard this book as a great starting point.
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Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002?
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