When You Are Engulfed In Flames

David Sedaris' latest compilation of essays, When You Are Engulfed In Flames, is without a doubt, one of the funniest books I've read in a while. I've read a few of his other books, but I think this is the best yet. His last book, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, is mostly about his nutty, dysfunctional family. His family comes up a couple of times in this book, but most of the essays focus on himself and his partner, Hugh. Sedaris is very talented at turning everyday events and conversations into hilarious stories. He also seems to meet so many odd people. It made me wonder if it is just by chance that he has so many odd encounters, or does he make himself more open to meeting other people, regardless of whether they seem strange or not? Is he just odd himself, which leads him into strange situations and attracts other odd people? Or is he just making this stuff up, or embellishing? He does say on the copyright page that these stories are "realish" and I do recall him saying in an interview that as long as something is 97% true, that was enough to call it nonfiction. Whatever the case may be, his essays are entertaining and great for a laugh.