{"id":7215,"date":"2008-06-20T21:23:27","date_gmt":"2008-06-21T02:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smaggi.us-east-1.derr.space\/?p=7215"},"modified":"2011-01-08T12:59:45","modified_gmt":"2011-01-08T18:59:45","slug":"david-sedaris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maggipicayune.derr.io\/wp\/2008\/06\/20\/david-sedaris\/","title":{"rendered":"David Sedaris"},"content":{"rendered":"

Humorist\/Essayist David Sedaris graced Austin with his presence yesterday to promote his latest collection <\/span>When You are Engulfed in Flames<\/span><\/em>. I stumbled upon his signing a couple weeks ago during my music shopping rounds. My brother Brian is a huge fan of David\u2019s work so I called him to see if he owned the new book. Obviously the answer was no, but he also knew what he would be soon receiving in the mail. Me? I\u2019m a casual fan yet I do enjoy book signings, listening to the author read the work in his or her voice which gives you some insight on how it \u201cshould\u201d flow, for example, James Ellroy reads in the same manner as a beatnik poet, and getting my face time with the writer.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re probably now asking, \u201cWhere\u2019s the picture then you name-dropping windbag?\u201d Mr. Sedaris doesn\u2019t like having his picture taken and the Book People staff made this very, very clear before he appeared. I already saw it on the voucher when I bought it two weeks ago. I could show you the autograph yet I want to keep it a surprise for Brian, this is his belated birthday present. We did speak briefly. I told him how my brother is his biggest fan in Chicago. David smiled, offered me some candy and asked if I worked at an Apple store since I still had my badge on. No I replied, I work in the call center supporting servers. David seemed baffled over what a server was then told me about the problems he\u2019s having with his MacBook Air. I recommended the people I know at the Domain but he was going to wait for the store in San Francisco when he had more time. Contrary to how David\u2019s stories flow, our exchange was enjoyable.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good thing I took a half-day from work too. Originally, I was going to split at noon until a long-ass call kept me chained to the phone for 90 minutes. Luck was my on side to salvage a victory. I managed to be twelfth in queue and maybe I\u2019ve made a new friend with the lady I waited in line with; a fellow Midwesterner from the Chicago area who attended Illinois and Wisconsin!<\/span><\/p>\n

This signing was unusual. Normally, everyone waits around the second floor for several hours. The author descends the stairs because he is hiding out in a special part of the third floor. (I think there\u2019s a secret entrance with an elevator for this.) There\u2019s a reading followed by some Q&A and then it concludes with the signings. David\u2019s kicked off early so he did several dozen signings to unwind, took a short break and then proceeded to read. Being number 12 was awesome, just hard to find a spot to sit.<\/span><\/p>\n

David chose to kick off with \u201cOf Mice and Men,” a very funny tale about a conversation starter not working out well during a trip to NYC. This was followed by an excerpt from his current work in progress involving animals; a modernization of <\/span>Aesop\u2019s Fables<\/span><\/em> but lacking the morality as he said. It was a hilarious, mean-spirited story involving a male ladybug and how the insect kingdom shares humanity\u2019s gender misperceptions. Think of Francis from <\/span>A Bug\u2019s Life<\/span><\/em>, just more R-rated in language and demeanor. David read random entries from his diary too. The man makes me jealous while he impresses. He has a wit and gift for observation that amazes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, the Q&A.<\/span><\/p>\n