Barrel Fever

Barrel Fever brings together short stories and essays that poke fun at American life. In the stories, a man who is adored too much runs from the heavyweight champion of the world, and a teenage suicide tries to stir up a lynching crowd during her own funeral. In the essays, David Sedaris turns to smoking, a job with Giantess magazine, and sharing a home with his brother Paul, nicknamed 'The Rooster'. Throughout, the book mixes wit with empathy as it studies the soulful ridiculousness of how people behave.

Why You Should Read?

• Meet a man whose admirers love him so much that he must run from a boxing champion.
• Follow David Sedaris as he writes about the hazards and rewards of smoking.
• Enjoy the essays about his job with Giantess magazine and life alongside his brother Paul.
• Experience a lively tour of the American Zeitgeist told with a sharp eye and real empathy.

About the Author

David Sedaris was born on December 26, 1956, and works as a humorist, comedian, author and radio contributor. He first gained public notice in 1992, when National Public Radio aired his essay "Santaland Diaries". His collection Me Talk Pretty One Day won the Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2000. His self-deprecating, often autobiographical humor draws on family life, his suburban upbringing near Raleigh, North Carolina, and his Greek heritage. He is the brother and writing collaborator of actress Amy Sedaris. In 2019 the American Academy of Arts and Letters elected him as a member.