Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Review:

Although I am relatively new to the work of David Sedaris I can say without a doubt that this particular collection resonated with me on a plethora of levels. Although I can’t yet look back on my own childhood and reflect on it as deeply as Sedaris can, I can relate to at least some part in all of his stories while still finding his signature humor present throughout.

The book opens with a grouping of stories that paint a picture of his childhood and his family dynamic, setting up the context for the rest of his hilarious antics years down the line.

We are introduced to his parents and given a taste of the hardships of life in the south. He delves into early issues with his homosexuality and the dilemmas he found himself in. The attitude towards homosexuality has become increasingly more positive since the years when our narrator was growing up. One of the first stories we hear is about an excruciatingly awkward sleepover Sedaris has with a neighborhood friend. He broaches the topic of his own bullying with such a comedic tone making you almost forget what the subject material is. Although it seems the focus of this particular story is make you laugh, there are layers to it that lay the groundwork for stories to come, driving home the emotional importance. In the sleepover story, titled “Full House”, Sedaris finds himself in the midst of a strip poker game with a group of boys who aren’t very fond of him. Though this may have been a trying experience for any child figuring out their sexuality it must have been crushing to be bullied by these boys as well. Lingering on the impacts left by this possibly traumatic experience is not what the story sets out to do though, soon we are hearing about how our protagonist actually excelled at the poker game and turning the tables in a hilarious resolution.

After the initial chapters he has fostered the beginnings of a relationship with the reader, letting you in on aspects of his life that seem so personal and genuine. He is almost telling the story to you specifically. This is where his writing style exceeds all prior expectations.

Many of his essays and stories are used on his own book tours, read aloud to a live audience. And after listening to a few of these recordings, you come to realize that he is reciting his stories specifically to you. Though his text is autobiographical it never once felt analytical, each story has its own arc and climax; they are crafted to be heard by people and incite laughter and joy. He doesn’t take the topic of autobiography as an exercise in documentation, but as a means to extract the most relatable and genuinely funny story and put it into the readers hands. His stories are lasting and resonant, and as I stated before, many of them go beneath the surface and touch some real emotional areas. He seems to tap into the stories heart as a tool for the comedy, giving each a more legitimate feel.

In his story “Chicken in the henhouse” he illustrates how the attitude towards homosexuality in certain parts of the United States has either changed drastically or is in drastic need of change. He finds himself in an awkward situation with a young boy in his hotel complex shortly after news stories about homosexual pedophillia had been plaguing every available television channel. He describes his feelings toward issues like this with so much personality and articulation that you can’t just ignore what he is saying and read for the jokes. The jokes all come from a place of truth, as every good joke should, and reflect on the bigotry and prejudice he felt in certain situations. The story with the young boy in the hotel is one of the most hilarious for a number of reasons, but it also manages to make itself the most relevant story, tying the undertones from the rest of the book together. He doesn’t do it with a big show, he doesn’t pretend to have some grand realization, he just connects the stories seamlessly and then continues on his way to making you laugh as hard as you possibly can.

Be it “Chicken in the henhouse” where he addresses some more heavy issues with a comedic tone, or “Six to eight black men” where he goes on a complete tangent and discusses Christmas traditions in the Netherlands in surprising amount of detail, each story in this compilation feels polished and perfected. No story felt out of place in any way or even fell flat. I honestly cannot try and poke holes in the logic or the storytelling because at the end of the day this is a book where you can laugh with the author; you can laugh at his mistakes right alongside him. It fulfills its purpose with ease and with flair and I was never once disappointed. I recomend Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim to anyone who wants to laugh.

Title: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

Author: David Sedaris

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

Page count: 272p

Genre: Autobiographical, Anthology