Literary Bex

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk (with one new story)by David Sedaris

Finished 2.5.12

The only exposure I had to David Sedaris previous to reading this book was listening to his “Santaland Diaries” podcasts in my college Advanced Expository Writing course (why it was Advanced Expository Writing considering we didn’t have a Beginners Expository Writing course, I’m not sure, but that’s neither here nor there).  Then, and now, I find Sedaris to be a witty, clever individual with a wonderful talent for little twists and well-turned phrases.  Each story within Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is full of satire, clever plays on words, and interesting commentary.  Because while all the protagonists in Sedaris’s stories are animals, he has given them human characteristics so realistic that any reader will be able to find someone they know amongst the chordates.

The vignettes, some merely hundreds of words long, are little snippets of the lives of the animals in question; we only see them for a snapshot in time, but Sedaris is able to give us a well rounded image of the character.  We meet the Baboon hair dresser who is very proud of her business and intent on keeping the customer happy no matter the cost so she will become a returning customer; we get to know the Irish Setter who loves his wife even with all her short comings and understand he’ll stick with her to his dying day even though there are bitches out there who are “more perfect” for him; we see the Brown Chicken’s descent into depression as one thing after another seems to go wrong for her; we sympathize with the Owl who has always felt out of place even with his own family and goes into the world and creates a new family for himself.

While told as amusing stories about animals, these animals represent the best and worst of human nature.  Every television drama and paperback novel tells us that the most unlikely of people make sometimes the best friends; that sometimes a natural enemy can be your salvation; that things aren’t always as they seem; that charlatans can be difficult to spot; that sometimes people are so self absorbed they lose sight of what’s truly important; that some people just need an audience; that sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions; that there are times you ought to be careful what you wish for… and so do the stories in Sedaris’ book.  Some of the stories, if you changed the animals for kids, are very much like Victorian children’s stories (don’t be naughty or selfish or horrible things will happen to you).

Sedaris is a clever writer.  He’s a very good writer.  He’s one of those authors I shy away from because of the Hype that goes along with the name.  But the Hype is well deserved; people lurve David Sedaris for good reason.  Each tale within Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is well written with clear purpose and a very distinct beginning, middle and end.  Each tale is interested and well-rounded.  They are delightful stories that are much larger than their few hundred words.  They are amusing and have a simple joy (or terror) to them.  While Sedaris is a hyped writer by some it is obvious from reading his work that the hype doesn’t come from him.  “People who read David Sedaris” might be pretentious, pompous intellectual hipsters, but David Sedaris himself seems to have a humble quality that shows in his writing.  He doesn’t think he’s some sort of awesome, he loves what he does and it shows.

Recommend: Yes.