Rating: 
Summary: Save this one for last.
Review: David Sedaris' work as a writer is top notch. This book, however is not up there with the rest. The essays at the end of the book are the typical Sedaris gems (The "SantaLand Diaries" are almost worth the price alone), but I think the short stories are for a rather limited readership. In the same way that I am not all pumped up about "Def Comedy Jam" or The Latin Grammy's, the short stories did not strike me as entertaining. The writing is superb, but with the very gay-specific subject matter it is best to save this book for last in your quest to conquer David Sedaris.
Rating: 
Summary: A Gem of A Book: Don't Miss It!
Review: I adored "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and thought "Naked" was quite good, too. But I was very disappointed in "Barrel Fever". In fact, I don't think I even bothered to finish it, because so many of the stories were just plain outrageously disgusting and weird and not funny at all. PLEASE don't judge Sedaris on this book alone -- try "Me Talk Pretty"! I laughed so hard while reading it that my husband sent me out of the room.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip This and Re-Read Me Talk Pretty One Day
Review: What a tremendously disappointing read. If it weren't for the final story, Santaland Diaries, I would have only given this book one star, and only then because I couldn't give it less. I was not looking for a re-tread of "Me Talk Pretty One Day," but I was looking for something of comparable quality (which in "Pretty" was stellar), and this was NOT it. Meandering, pointless, humorless ramblings from someone who is capable of much better writing. Only in Santaland Diaries do we get to see the Sedaris that crackles with dark humor and hilarious cynicism. I loved every word of this story and couldn't help but wish that the rest of the book had been this wonderful. My heartfelt advice is that you borrow Barrel Fever from the library, memorize Santaland Diaries, and ignore the rest.
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