Themes and Variations
Published April 28th 2020 by Amazon Publishing, Kindle Edition 19 pages
In this Kindle-exclusive essay, international bestselling humor writer David Sedaris shares the rewards of a book tour and his devoted readers’ worst-kept secrets.
Dismissed by a bored author at a book signing, a betrayed young man named David Sedaris made a vow. Someday, when it was his turn at the table, he’d connect with his readers. The experience has been even more revealing than he’d hoped.
In this hilarious and perceptive essay, the celebrated humorist reflects on the unusual patterns of forced socialization between author and audience, and the obligations and sometimes surprising returns of not-so-chance encounters with strangers: jokes, secrets, insights, and even charity.
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This essay was only about 15 pages long but the ratio of genuine laughs to pages was very high.
Rating: really liked it
When Amazon emails you at 12:01 am to say that David Sedaris has something new out, you one click buy it. Even if it’s 1.99 for 17 pages. I don’t make the rules.
This was short and snarky and felt like a tease. I found it a bit mean spirited. He has times when he goes too far in that direction for my liking. But at the same time, it’s very clear he knows that about himself and he often mocks himself more than anyone else. So I still enjoyed it.
It doesn’t seem fair for Sedaris to offer us one, tiny tale. But I’ll take what I can get. And anxiously await his next full length book, whenever that may be.
Because I love him.
Rating: really liked it
A fun little taste of Sedaris at his best; hilarious mixed with the bizarre. Just wish it had been longer. Now I finally understand why he always has long and fruitful discussions with his audiences after his readings, while signing his books.
Rating: really liked it
Books....
Bras....
Fifty-dollar bills....ranch dressing.... dented can goods.... asking doesn’t cost a thing....
looking for somebody who is poor?
Three raisins stuck to the bottom of your airline check in bag....
A package of Marboro‘s...
Greasy hair guys with missing front teeth...
A mental ill ‘pass’....
The audience chooses what they want to focus on...
and.....
I’m not a bad man....
Take “THAT” GOD
Badass Hilarious!!!!
Rating: really liked it
I've listened to this 17 page new story by Sedaris twice so far and have laughed several times. You can get it for $1.99 but if you do, you have to get the audible version of him reading it himself. He's one of the best readers in the world, with great timing, and I laughed out loud a few times. I admired it the second time even more and suspect I will listen to and love it even more. In a sense, it's standard Sedaris, but that still means one of the best.
He begins by talking about 1984 when he moved to Chicago and loved reading stories in the public library, and going to readings by various authors in favorite bookstores. Stories, good stories, one theme. We are asked to reflect on those and why they are good.
But the central theme is about the relationship between readers and audiences. One time he went to a book signing and he was ignored; he made a commitment after that: If he ever was in that position as author, he would pay attention. And this is where many of his good stories have come from. Sedaris would seem to be a crazy magnet. People tell him the strangest things, which he carries from town to town and they just multiply: One woman tells him, "you made me put my bra back on!" (since she had gone home, relaxed but changed her mind to come out to listen to him). But then he tells that story from town to town and asks other women about their bras and incorporates those good stories in his work..
Sedaris always pushes the offensive a bit, as in hearing and retelling stories he has heard about objects people insert into themselves, but this is also funny, a good story, and he knows it. The best stuff is about giving money to the poor, especially now that he is "well-0ff." Here his variation on that theme spins into how interesting people are, and he's never mean about them. And he's self-deprecating, always, which helps make him, as always, likable. Which helps in making a good story.
Rating: really liked it
Themes and Variations is an Amazon Original Stories nonfiction essay by the delightful David Sedaris about his book tours. And, like a lot of Sedaris’ essays, this one is quite amusing.
His tours each seem to have their own themes that randomly and naturally develop. In one, he discovers that women remove their bras as soon as their workday is over, something every woman he meets tells him they do. In another, he collects jokes and in another he hears numerous anecdotes about the myriad and bizarre things men shove up their bums.
The jokes are kinda cheesy and forgettable and the bra stuff/anal insertions aren’t that novel a concept but there’s some fun to be had there. I particularly liked Sedaris’ summation: “If women come home from work and take their bras off, their husbands return and look for things they can force up their asses.”
The best part of the essay was Sedaris being asked by his media escort in Milwaukee that she’d been given $50 by her pastor to give to someone who looked like they needed it before 3.16pm that day (that time specifically because of a Bible verse) - but she was busy and could Dave do it for her? So off Sedaris goes, in search of the homeless - where else? - in the local library!
Of course it’s not quite so straightforward for Sedaris, and he even encounters problems when he takes pity on a homeless man picking up cigarette butts and buys him a pack of smokes.
Themes and Variations is a cute little piece that has a couple funny moments in it but it’s not among David Sedaris’ best.
Rating: really liked it
This was exactly the sort of book I needed to read when I read it. Short, funny and contemporary. After a few heavy classics, the stresses of covid-19 lock down and a debilitating ankle injury I needed something uplifting, light and positive!
Sedaris is a very funny man. He is also an excellent writer. In this essay, Sedaris shares the quirks of undertaking a book tour. After a bad experience at a book signing in his youth where the featuring author was really rude, Sedaris pledged that if he was ever to become a successful author, he would never snub any of his fans who turned up to his readings – instead he would do his best to be personal and connect with each person who made the effort to come and see him. What ensues is a hilarious account of many of his surprising experiences meeting fans. It is also a revealing study of the unusual relationship and obligations between authors and their audiences.
I love his unequivocal honesty and down to earth tone. He seems to be the kind of un-self-possessed author you could have a cappuccino with in a cool book store café.
Rating: really liked it
4.75 Stars — Sedaris doing Sedaris-like things in essay form. Need I say more?
Rating: really liked it
Always entertaining and funny.
Rating: really liked it
David Sedaris opens with his experience standing in line waiting for a author to sign a book, just to be in front of an admired person even if just for a second, and the betrayal he felt when given short shrift by a favorite. Deciding then that he would always engage with a person who lined up for his signature. Having stood in several of these lines, waiting for Mr. Sedaris to sign a book, I know he does. In one case, he even had stickers he affixed to the page (he put a picture of a deer on my sister in law's copy, calling her a "dear"). He didn't care that the line, longest I ever saw in that bookstore, wended through to the coffee shop and out into the parking lot. I'll read anything he writes. He never disappoints.
Rating: really liked it
I admit feeling a little disappointed in the past after reading a David Sedaris book I had high expectations for. This time I went with the audio version read by the author himself and I highly recommend this. Every time I have listened to an author read their own work I have enjoyed it very much!
Very short book full of lots of laughs.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
I am not sure if I would have bought this because it is so short, but I am glad I could listen to this on loan. This author’s books really work exceptionally well on audio.
If you are not familiar with his work, I would suggest starting with Me Talk Pretty One Day, if you are already a fan then you will find this a treat.
Rating: really liked it
I love laughing out loud. Recounting various book tours, this 11 page essay is great fun.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars. Short but sweet. If you're a fan of David Sedaris I highly recommend this short audio original about book tours. In less than half an hour he had me laughing out loud quite a few times, and towards the end smiling with tears in my eyes (which I think is his specialty).
Has anyone listened to Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002, and if so how was it?
Rating: really liked it
When is he not funny and a lot naughty? Too short though
