Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

Release Date (Australia): 1 October 2010

Rating: 7.5/10

David Sedaris makes me laugh like almost no other author can, except Bateman. I love his bluntness, his lack of fear of swearing, and his sarcasm. His intelligence shows through his humour, which is usually showcased through non-fiction. I have been reading his books for years now and they are still my favourite new releases of the year when a new book comes out. I was intrigued when he released this little collection of short animal stories in Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Wicked Bestiary.

It was here that the toad entered the conversation.

"You want pissed off? I got to the front of the line, I showed my ID, and I was then told that I needed two forms of it. Can you beat that? I said, 'I didn't see that ugly-assed bobcat give you two forms,' and the one behind the counter, a black snake she was, said that this a special rule for reptiles.

"I said, 'No problem, I'm an amphibian'. And to this she goes - I kid you not - 'Same difference'."
"I said, 'It's not the same fucking difference. First off, I only mate in the water. Number two, the skin I was born with - I still got it. So don't feed me any of that 'same difference' bullshit. You should know that better than anyone."

But luckily the humour was still fantastic. It's probably not a book for all David Sedaris fans, but I found it cute and amusing. Almost like Aesop's Fables but funny and sometimes crude. The illustrations by Ian Falconer (of Olivia fame) are a highlight as well, all drawings in black and white and orange. It looks very effective and suits the stories immensely.

"You know what I like?" he said, "I like jazz."

"I didn't know that," the chipmunk said. "My goodness, jazz!" She had no idea what jazz was but was worried that asking would make her sound stupid.

"What kind exactly?" she asked, hoping his answer might narrow things down a bit.

"Well, all kinds, really," he told her, "Especially the earlier stuff."

"Me too," she said, and when he asked her why, she told him the later stuff was just too late for her tastes.

PS, Sorry for the lack of updates for a month. University exams are fun!