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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 814.54
EAN: 9780316779425
ISBN: 0316779423
Label: Back Bay Books
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: June 01, 1995
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Studio: Back Bay Books
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com Review:
A collection of stories and essays by humorist and NPR commentator David Sedaris based upon his own experiences and the hidden perversity that can be found in Anytown, U.S.A. Here are images and blasphemies that nice people don't dare look at--blatantly exposed and told with the clear, casual voice of intimate knowledge. Sedaris' humor is born of compassion and his tales range from the sharing of cheery Christmas letters featuring infanticide, to experiences of the Gay and Famous (Charlton Heston and Elizabeth Dole, for example), to the lives of siblings named Hope, Faith, Charity and Adolph and to alcoholics and chain smokers you can laugh with.
Product Description:
Short stories and essays by an apartment cleaner and a popular commentator for National Public Radio highlight the absurd behavior of modern Americans, such as the suburban dad who saves money by performing surgery at home. Reprint. 25,000 first printing.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I couldn't put this book down! I didn't find all of the stories to be as good as some of the clear winners of the bunch, but they were all engaging and very entertaining. Wonderfully written in prose that could easily be studied by aspiring writers. I plan to begin reading the author's next book, "Naked," right away. While this book contains a collection of (mostly) short stories and (some) non-fiction essays, I felt the essays were the best. It's good to see that his other books seem to contain (all?) essays. A truly enjoyable read!
As a side note, I read the Kindle edition of this book. It was well formatted and contained the entire text.
Rating:  -
I love David Sedaris, but in my opinion the best books he's written so far are Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day. I won't even let anyone borrow them because they are so good. Barrel fever was funny but it didn't hold a candle to these other two.
Rating:  -
This is typical Sedaris. If you are familar and liked other titles by Sedaris you will enjoy this one. Classic commentary on modern life.
Rating: -
My first introduction to David Sedaris in the late 90s was "Holidays on Ice," which I absolutely loved. I've read most of his books or listened to them as audiobooks, and the guy is hilarious and has been one of my favorite authors/essayists for years. Somehow I'd never picked up Barrel Fever, so I finally did.
The stories and essays were weird, raunchy, and sometimes pushed me out of my (relatively wide) comfort zone. There were laugh out loud moments to some stories, but others left me wondering how I benefited from reading them. I can see how David Sedaris has developed as a storyteller from these early character vignettes, but I doubt I'll want to read this particular collection again. (The main exception is "Santaland Diaries," which is also included in the "Holidays on Ice" collection.")
I agree with the other reviewers here... if you're new to Sedaris, pick up "Me Talk Pretty One Day" or "Naked" before reading this one.
Rating:  -
I bought all his books thinking they are the same. Barrel Fever was only essays written in first person fantasy. Not based on reality. The ones based on his reality are the ones I find hilarious.
I LIKED:
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Naked
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
DIDN'T LIKE:
Children Playing at the Feet of Hercules
Barrel Fever
Holidays On Ice
The Book of Liz
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