Holidays on Ice

I'm a big David Sedaris fan. I think that Me Talk Pretty One Day is one of the funniest books I've ever read. I've checked out several of his books, the most recent being Holidays on Ice, a collection of holiday-themed comic essays.

If you've seen the stage production of Santaland Diaries (which New Stage Theatre produced in the Hewes Room several years back), then the anchor story in this collection will be very familiar to you. It details Sedaris' stint as a Macy's Christmas elf one year, and it is freaking hilarious. From the humiliating "uniform" to the strict instructions by the Gestapo-like Macy's Christmas management team, you will chuckle during this one.

I found the rest of the book a bit uneven. "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!" went on far too long, as did "Christmas Means Giving," which took one joke and spun it out for more than 10 pages. I did enjoy reading "Dinah, the Christmas Whore," though, as well as "Front Row Center with Thaddeus Bristol."

Though every story isn't a gem, the book is a quick read and worth checking out if you're in the mood for some subversive holiday humor.

Enjoy!