Happy-Go-Lucky
Ratings48
Average rating4.3
15
Ratings48
Average rating4.3
'Een van mijn lievelingsschrijvers.' Sylvia Witteman 'Onbetwist de koning van komische verhalen.' The Guardian Het staat buiten kijf dat David Sedaris een van de grappigste mensen op de planeet is. Maar nog meer dan zijn humor is het zijn manier van observeren die hem wereldwijd geliefd en veelgelezen maken. Door zijn ogen wordt een bezoek aan een schietcursus, het ziekbed van zijn vader, een Servische markt of een zomer op het Franse platteland een mustread. Zo ook zijn herkenbare verslagen over het leven tijdens en na de lockdowns ('O nee, ik haat mensen nu meer dan tijdens de lockdown. Ik was voetgangers die appen tijdens het lopen vergeten!'). Happy-go-lucky is een tijdloze bundel door een van de weinige humoristen wiens werk in elk taal overeind blijft, getuigen de meer dan tien miljoen boeken in meer dan vijfentwintig talen. Als we dan toch in interessante tijden moeten leven, is er niemand die ze beter kan beschrijven dan de onvergelijkbare David Sedaris. Van de boeken van David Sedaris zijn wereldwijd meer dan 10 miljoen exemplaren verkocht. 'Zelden heb ik zo gelachen als met David Sedaris in College Tour. Niet alleen is zijn proza hilarisch, vilein en onweerstaanbaar humoristisch, op een podium draait Sedaris zijn publiek pas echt om de vinger. Nu raakt hij de lezer midscheeps met zijn nieuwe verhalenbundel Happy-go-lucky. Het titelverhaal over zijn vader die langzaam wegkwijnt in een verpleeghuis is ontroerend, tragikomisch inclusief weergaloze slotzin.' Twan Huys
Reviews with the most likes.
This was my second David Sedaris book. I read Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls 6 years ago as an audiobook and absolutely loved it. GoodReads tells me I even rated it 5 stars! Which back then was even more rare for me than it is now. I especially recommend reading his books as an audiobook.
This is an honest, at times brutal, at times ludicrous, and usually privileged recount of David's own life focused mostly in the last two years. There are a lot of essays on his father and his contentious relationship with him, as well as his sister Tiffany's accusations against their father, and finally his death. Aside from his father, his essays cover a wide range: about his relationship with his boyfriend Hugh, his experience with the BLM protests, New York during the height of the pandemic, his love of shopping, and some great stories from his tours.
I like David's brand of brutally honest sharp humor. He shares his thoughts without filter, even when they may put him in a bad light. He's wont to say things that make you think, should he really be saying this? There were some stories in the book that were so wild, that I had to share them with others and question WTF? out loud.
The book has a good balance of realness and humor. He manages to fit in jokes (albeit sometimes inappropriate ones) even in the most serious stories, and great insights in the most wacky ones. Sedaris is not the most likeable and I don't think he tries to be. His privilege shows through many times, and he's way too judgmental against others, but he writes with honesty and heart. He finds the special in the mundane and is not afraid to share the difficult stories.
I enjoyed this, just design joy all of his books. DS is clever and insightful. I was kind of surprised at his revelations about his dad. And, I understand how other people here felt it was too dark, but I appreciated that he was honest about the past couple of years for us as a country and for him personally. I don't want him just to laugh out loud, but to recognize the humanity and reality he observes.
Everything David Sedaris writes I give five stars, but for this, I'll give him more!
Not every essay was typical Sedaris. But he was more vulnerable than in his other collections. More reflective and maybe a bit more mature. That is not to imply that this was sad in any way. He will still make you cry laughing. I just loved that he also made me think more and appreciate more after I read this (in three days).
This is my favorite collection of essays of all time. I'm glad I have the hardcover so I can read it dozens of times and lend it out–to very specific people–without destroying the book.
